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Rndio Roys in the Secret Service 







RADIO BOYS 

IN THE 

SECRET SERVICE 

or. 

Cast Away on an Iceberg 

BY 

J. W. DUFFIELD 




CHICAGO 


M. A. DONOHUE & CO. 


NEW YORK 



The 

RADIO BOYS SERIES 


RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET 
SERVICE; or, Cast Away on an 
Iceberg. 

RADIO BOYS IN THE FLYING 
SERVICE; or, Held For Ransom 
by Mexican Bandits. 

RADIO BOYS IN THE THOU- 
SAND ISLANDS; or, The Yankee- 
Canadian Wireless Trail. 

RADIO BOYS UNDER THE SEA; 
or, The Hunt for Sunken Treasure. 


COPYRIGHT 1922, BY M. A. DONOHUE & CO. 



MADE IN U S. A. 


CONTENTS 


Chapter I"age 

I Wireless Twins * 7 

II On the Way to London 15 

III The Mysterious Man Again 21 

IV Seeing London in a Fog 27 

V Highwayman No. 2 and Mr. Smithers. ... 36 

VI Artie’s Failure” as a Detective 46 

VII Wireless Shoes” 57 

VIII A Suspicious Intruder 67 

IX A Puzzling Situation 78 

X The Voice with the ‘'Squeak and Roar”. . 88 

XI “The Ship is Sinking!” 9S 

XII The Wreck 109 

XIII S. 0. S 121 

XIV The Voice of the Fog Pirate 132 

XV Captain Walter 139 

XVI On the Iceberg 150 

XVII The Eskimos 160 

XVIII A Midnight Invasion 174 

XIX The “Iceberglars” 185 

XX “Jump as Far as You Can!” 194 

XXI Searching the Sea 208 

XXII The Rescue 221 

XXIII Taking the “Wireless” out of “Wireless 

Shoes” 231 

XXIV The Why of the “Squeak-Roar Voice” . . 240 

XXV The Fog Pirate at the Bobstay 249 




CHAPTER I 


Wireless Twins 

“Good-by and good luck, Guy,” said Wal- 
ter Burton as his twin brother, with small 
traveling bag in one hand and amber glasses 
protecting his supersensitive eyes, was about 
to step aboard a south-bound train at the 
Ferncliffe station one clear, crisp winter-end 
day. “Send me a wireless message from Eu- 
rope, and I’ll be listening in and catch it.” 

“I’d like to, Walt,” was Guy’s smiling an- 
swer; “but I’m afraid that would be extrav- 
agant. I’ll tell you what I’ll do, though. 
When we get to New York, I’ll hunt up Vac- 
uum Tube and send you a message from his 
station. You know he invited us to come and 
see him any time we were in New York.” 

“All right,” agreed Walter. “When’ll you 
send it?” 

“At 4 o’clock to-morrow if he’s home.” 

“Good. I’ll watch for it. I’ll call V T and 
tell’m you’re coming. Good luck. Good-by.” 

This hearty exchange of parting cheer be- 
tween the sturdy, bright-eyed Walter and his 


8 


RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 


equally sturdy, but “sick-eyed” brother was 
one incident in a general round of farewells 
that marked the departure of Guy Burton and 
his mother for England. Guy had been suf- 
fering several weeks with a severe infection 
of the eyes, resulting from the “flu,” and it 
was decided to put him under the care of a 
London specialist as the most hopeful move 
for saving his sight. 

A local physician advised that this be done, 
and the boy’s father resolved to waste no time. 
Urgent business made it almost impossible for 
him accompany his son, and a family council 
resulted in the selection of Mrs. Burton as 
traveling companion for Guy. 

During a period of more than two weeks 
the latter had been unable to endure the op- 
tical strain of light, and most of this time he 
remained indoors with his eyes bandaged. 
Meanwhile Walter did all he could to cheer 
his “blind” brother. He read to him a good 
deal and in other ways endeavored to make 
his own eyes do the work of four. Every day 
he led Guy to their attic “den” where one of 
their wireless sets wa } installed, and then he 
would proceed to the other radio station 
over their workshop, and in these posi- 
tions they would send and receive radio mes- 
sages, not only between themselves, but in 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 9 

communication with other amateurs near and 
far away. 

The Burton twins were 16 years old. Their 
father, active in two professions, banking 
and farming, was one of the leading business 
men in the New England community in which 
he lived, but he found time to excercise real 
interest in the sports and aspirations of his 
two sons. Both of the latter were mechani- 
cally inclined, and) this inclination vras en- 
couraged by the busy business man in many 
practical ways. 

Walter was ambitious to become an elec- 
trical engineer. There was hardly anything 
in popular electrical affairs that he did not 
know something about. It was he who first 
suggested that they take up the study of wire- 
less and install radio instruments in their 
home. Guy’s ambition was not so definitely 
formed as that of his brother, but his enthu- 
siasm over the proposition was scarcely less 
than that of Walter. They had an ideal boys’ 
workshop, which they built themselves, and 
on the roof of this 15x20 frame structure was 
a cupola-like inclosure, which they used as one 
of their wireless stations. The other, it has 
been noted, was in their attic den. The aeri- 
als over these two stations, by their conspic- 
uous loftiness, advertised the brothers wide- 
ly as the “wireless twins of Femcliffe,” 


10 


RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 


The workshop of the twins was equipped 
with an outfit of tools and machinery that 
might well arouse the wonder and admiration 
of any ambitious boy. The machinery consist- 
ed principally of turning lathe, scroll saw and 
drill, operated with belts, pulleys, shafts and 
electric motor. The boys not only planned 
and constructed their shop building, but they 
wired it electrically and installed and connect- 
ed the machinery. And when completed, it 
proved to be no mere toy shop, but a very use- 
ful boy institution for repair and construc- 
tion work about the Burton home. 

The boys had received their wireless ap- 
paratus as Christmas presents a little more 
than a year before and immediately set them 
up. They learned the radio alphabet and soon 
were laboriously spelling out words to each 
other. In a few months they had acquired a 
considerable addition to their vocabulary and 
spoke of .spark gaps, aerials, transformers, 
keys, helices, tuning coils, condensers, and 
detectors with something of the ready famil- 
iarity of old timers. They were especially 
elated when they found themselves catching 
signals from distant wireless operators. This 
became more and more, frequent, as they lived 
on the coast and not a few passing ships were 
supplied with radio outfits. 

The Burton home was a sort of country 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 1 1 

seat near the outskirts of the city and was 
bordered on the east by half a mile of sea- 
shore. A small natural harbor added much to 
the curious interest of the surroundings, be- 
ing sufficient to accommodate comfortably the 
SO-fcfot power yacht owned by Mr. Burton. 
This harbor was well sheltered by hilly pro- 
jections, except at one point where the shore 
dropped down almost to the level of the sea 
and afforded a good landing place. Here a 
quay had been built for the yacht. So well 
protected with bluffs was the cove that the 
heaviest gales hardly rocked the little vessel 
in its mooring. Under the brow of the largest 
bluff had been constructed a pile-supported 
shed for sheltering the boat in winter. 

Perncliffe is a manufacturing and fishing 
seaboard town. Half a mile from the Burton 
home are the municipal docks, where fishing 
boats tie up and where steamers stop to re- 
ceive or unload passengers and freight In 
the summer months a considerable business of 
this kind is done. 

The house in which the Burtons lived was 
a large, square, comfortable, white frame 
dwelling, rather southern in style. Mr. Bur- 
ton had several men in his employ constantly. 
One of these was Det Teller, half-sailor, half- 
farmer, who had worked for the banker- 
farmer several years. Det was an interesting 


12 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

character. He knew “everything and the 
whole world.” He had been around the world 
twice as a seaman and was skilled in the ty- 
ing of sailors knots and the weaving of sailors 
yams. 

His nickname was a “short” for Deuter- 
onymy. Dot’s father had been very religious 
and had given bible names to all his children. 
The retired sailor was now fifty years old. Six 
years previously he had discovered in a ser- 
vant of the Burton family a former girl 
schoolmate with whom he had been in love 
twenty-odd years before, and he married her 
and entered Mr. Burton’s employ as farm fore- 
man. A house was built especially for them 
on the premises. 

Det was really a bright and valuable fel- 
low. In six years he had learned “all about” 
his employer’s business and could “run any 
branch of it except the bank.” He was a 
short, long-armed, broad-sholdered, power- 
ful man, whose natural alertness and jovial 
disposition seemed not to have been affected 
seriously by the burden of two score years and 
ten. 

Mr. Burton had owned the yacht, Jetta, 
for two seasons. It had been named for the 
boys’ five-year old sister. Det was mate and 
part of the crew of the vessel, and during the 
outing months of the year his capacity of 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


13 


farm foreman was almost forgotten, or left 
in other hands. Originally intended only as 
a private pleasure craft, the Jetta, under the 
enterprising ambition of the “wireless twins,” 
had become, in the last summer, a recognized 
excursion boat, identified inseparably with the 
outing happiness of many of the inhabitants 
of Ferncliffe and neighboring towns. Guy and 
Walter made up the complement of the crew 
and acted as joint skippers who usually fol- 
lowed the instructions of the mate. Mr Bur- 
ton was merely owner and made no attempt 
to interfere with the management of the craft 
when aboard with ths ^riaxe and one or both of 
the young captains. 

On the morning when Guy and his mother 
boarded the train for New York city, another 
passenger of peculiar interest here bought a 
ticket for the same destination. He was a tall, 
thin, sharp-eyed, well dressed man, wearing a 
high-crowend derby hat and large angular 
trowel-shaped patent leather shoes. He had 
had business in Ferncliffe and stopped several 
days at the Chenoweth House, the best hotel 
of the place. On the day of his arrival he had 
read with interest the following local item in 
the Ferncliffe Gazette: 

“H. G. Burton has decided to send his son 
Guy to London for treatment of his eyes. Guy 
and his mother will sail from New York in a 


1 4 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

week. The boy’s eyes will be treated by the 
famous Dr. Sprague.” 

The stranger had registered at the hotel 
as Stanley Picket of New York. He had 
planned to return home on the day when he 
read the above item, but the information it 
contained caused him to alter his plan. He 
remained in Femcliffe until Mrs. Burton and 
Guy started for New York, when as we have 
seen, the train bore him also as a passenger. 

Walter and Guy noticed the tall, well- 
dressed man on the platform before the train 
pulled in, little dreaming what an important 
part he was destined to play in their affairs 
within the next few months. 

The boy with the amber glasses and his 
mother boarded the train and took possession 
of a seat. Soon afterward the tall man with 
the high-crowned derby and the trowel- 
shaped patent leathers sat down in the seat 
just behind them, and the train moved away 
from the depot. 


CHAPTER II 
On the Way to London 

The trip to New York was begun early in 
the morning in order that they might reach 
their sailing point before dark. To Guy this 
part of the journey was monotonous, a§ he 
could not read and his mother advised him 
not to sit next to the window and look out, 
fearing lest the light injure his eyes, in spite 
of his amber glasses. The day was clear and 
bright, and the sun’s rays were reflected glit- 
teringly from the clean, white snow on the 
ground. 

Guy and his mother would have been 
greatly astonished if they had known of the 
interest in them entertained by the man in the 
next seat behind. Several times on the way 
between Ferncliffe and Boston, Guy got up and 
moved about, and two or three times he 
casually observed the prepossessing stranger. 
But the latter seemed always to be buried in 
a newspaper or book and oblivious to all about 
him. 

The truth, however, was that Mr. Pickett 

15 


1 6 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

took much more interest in the conversation 
of Mrs. Burton and her son than in his read- 
ing. While appearing to be reading most of 
the time, his occupation in this respect was 
largely a pretense, at least when the two in 
front of him spoke loudly enough for him to 
hear. Now and then he would turn a leaf for 
appearance sake, but not always did his eyes 
follow the printed line from one page to the 
next. However, his reading was not wholly 
affectation for occasionally he would turn 
back to pick up the thread of the narrative. 

At Boston they changed cars, and again 
Mr. Pickett managed to get a seat immediate- 
ly behind the two London-bound travelers. 
Once the amusing prattle of a baby a few seats 
back caused Guy to turn suddenly, and he was 
startled to observe the sharp eyes of the 
stranger staring at him with curious contem- 
plation. 

So deeply did the incident impress the boy 
that he turned again and looked at the man, 
but the latter was once more buried in his 
book. Guy then told himself that he must 
have misunderstood the gaze, that it prob- 
ably was one of meditation or abstraction. 

“Maybe he’s some professor of anatomy 
trying to figure out the diameter of a bone- 
head,” mused the boy. “I wonder who he is. 
It’s funny he happened to get the seat just 


17 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 

behind us both times. Well, I’ll remember 
him anyway if I ever see him again.” 

At New York Guy took a last curious look 
at the man with the high-crowned derby and 
then forgot him for the time being. The lat- 
ter saw the boy and his mother enter a taxi 
and drive away, but he made no further at- 
tempt to watch their movements. 

Mr. Pickett was a middle-aged bachelor 
living at a hotel near Central Park. Before 
starting for this place he ate supper at a 
restaurant. On arriving at the hotel he went 
direct to his room and wrote a letter, which 
he addressed to one A. Little in London. It 
was as follows: 

“My dear Little. 

“About the time this letter reaches you 
there will arrive in London a Mrs. H. G. Bur- 
ton and her son, Guy. The kid is coming over 
to have his eyes treated. They’ll probably re- 
main several weeks and will then return to 
New York direct. They will stop at the Mor- 
ley hotel. By the way, the kid is bugs over 
wireless telegraphy. That’s his weakness. 
Maybe this will interest you professionally. 

0. P. Q.” 

This letter was mailed as soon as finished, 
but another letter, written by another person, 
who had been secretly watching every move 
of Mr. Pickett, accompanied it in the same 


18 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

mail across the Atlantic. It was addressed to 
one W. W. Watson in London. 

A. Little received the Pickett letter and 
delivered it to one Christopher Gunseyt, who, 
in turn, delivered it to another, J. C. Smithers, 
a Bond street jeweler. Meanwhile Watson re- 
ceived the other letter and also got busy. He 
observed secretly the passing along of the 
Pickett letter from Little to Gunseyt and from 
Gunseyt to Smithers. Then, by a series of 
cleverly camouflaged moves, he managed to 
relieve Smithers of the mysterious missive in 
such manner that the latter never missed it. 

In the meantime, Guy and his mother reg- 
istered for rooms at a New York hotel. Their 
steamer would sail on the following day, and 
their order for tickets and staterooms on the 
liner had been placed through a local agent at 
Femcjiffe. 

Mrs. Burton had a friend in the city whom 
she wished to see on the afternoon of the day 
following their arrival at New York, and Guy 
had promised to send his brother a wireless 
message at 4 p. m. In the morning he tele- 
phoned to his wireless acquaintance, “V T,” 
whom, by the way, he had never met person- 
ally; indeed, he did not know “V T’s” name. 
They had often exchanged greetings by wire- 
less, but had never introduced themselves, ex- 
cept by their amateur radio calls. “V T” had. 


19 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 

however, given the Burton boys his telephone 
number and requested them to call him up 
when they came to New York. 

As a result of Guy’s telephone call, the 
latter received a visit from “V T” at the hotel. 
The New York amateur introduced himself as 
Harry Taylor. 

‘T’m glad to know your name,” Guy re- 
marked as they started for Harry’s home, “my 
brother and I usually spoke of you as Vacuum 
Tube, but we’ll be more respectful hereafter.” 

Guy was delighted with his “new-old ac- 
quaintance.” He was with him most of the 
afternoon while his mother visited her friend. 
At 4 o’clock he called Walter and talked with 
the latter half an hour. Then he bade Harry 
good-by and returned to the hotel. 

That evening Guy and his mother went 
aboard the liner. Early next morning the 
steamer floated from the harbor with the tide 
and stood out to sea. 

Little of more than ordinary tourist’s in- 
terest occurred in the course of the voyage, 
which was completed on schedule time, in 
spite of two days and one night of very rough 
weather. The first stop was at Queenstown. 
The steamer did not go up into Cork Harbor, 
but lay out in the offing, having signaled by 
v/ireless for a lighter. After disembarking a 
number of passengers and delivering and re- 


20 


RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 


ceiving several bags of mail, the liner con- 
tinued on toward Fishguard and Liverpool. 

The vessel finally anchored near the mouth 
of the River Mersey and the passengers were 
transferred to Liverpool by lighter. Their 
baggage was “examined’’ by inspectors in a 
most ridiculously indifferent manner, it 
seemed to Guy, and then they were hustled 
aboard a fast express train for London. 

Talk about speed! The train, with its odd 
compartments and widely-separated coaches, 
fiew over that 175 miles to the metropolis of 
the world in two-and-a-half hours. 

“I can’t see that we’ve got so much on the 
English,” observed Guy as the train sped on 
like a Chicago-New York Century Flyer. “I 
don’t see why we should call the English slow.” 


CHAPTER III 
The Mysterious Man Again. 

Walter Burton missed his brother for many 
reasons during the latter’s absence. Guy was 
always a good companion. Out of school, 
Walter scarcely knew what to do with him- 
self. Heretofore all his pleasures and all his 
labors had been shared by the other twin. 
They had always gone to school together, 
shoveled snow together, worked in the shop 
together, and studied wireless together. 

In this occupation, or amusement, Walter 
was now almost lost. He called T” and in- 
formed the latter of Guy’s plan and was wait- 
ing with receivers at his ears when his broth- 
er’s call came from New York. But for sev- 
eral days thereafter he neglected his hobby 
entirely, not even caring to amuse himself by 
catching messages from any commercial or 
amateur source. 

Nevertheless, Walter was deeply interested 
in everything wireless. The thrill and excite- 
ment of “talking” electric waves, impelled 
with air-splitting leaps of the current across 
21 


22 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

the spark-gap, had often enlivened his day- 
dreams with radio visions, and it was hardly 
to be expected that he would long remain idle, 
in view of the allurements and possibilities at 
hand. 

A quarter of a mile from the Burton home 
lived another boy, Anthony Lane, who 
chummed a good deal with the “wireless 
twins.” Anthony, or Tony, as he was familiar- 
ly called, was a poor boy, but this fact made no 
difference with Walter or Guy; “he was the 
right kind of stuff,” and that was all they 
cared for. He was one of the best ball players 
at school, could row and swim like a sailor and 
a fish, and, although strong and clever, was 
never known to act the bully. 

This boy had manifested a deep interest in 
wireless telegraphy as soon as he saw the ap- 
paratus of the Burton boys in operation. He 
learned the Morse alphabet and practiced on 
the instruments of his friends at their invita- 
tion. Up to the time when Guy left for Eu- 
rope, however, he had not acquired much skill 
and was therefore unable to fill, in this respect, 
the vacancy left by the absent brother. But 
one day Walter said to his friend: 

“Tony, do you want to learn wireless so 
well that no operator can dot-and-dash away 
from you?” 

“You bet I do,” was the other’s reply. “I 


23 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 

often thought I would, but I couldn’t afford to 
buy an outfit like yours.” 

“Then come over and live with me while 
Guy’s gone. I’m awful lonesome.” 

“I’ll see what ma says,” answered Tony. 

The result was as Walter suggested. Tony 
had a few chores to do home every evening, 
for his father owned several acres and kept 
a cow, pigs, and chickens. After this work 
was done, he was permitted to “go over to 
Walter’s” and remain there until morning, 
when he must return and do chores again. 
Meanwhile he devoted all his spare moments 
to wireless practice, even when Walter was 
not at liberty to “talk” with him. 

One afternoon as the boys were returning 
home from school discussing some newly-de- 
veloped feature of interest in their hobby, the 
subject was suddenly changed by the appear- 
ance before them of one who has figured ear- 
lier in this narrative. He was the man with 
the tall derby hat and the trowel-shaped 
patent leathers. 

“Did you notice that fellow?” Walter 
asked in a low tone as they passed the man of 
conspicuous foot and headgear. 

“I saw him, but didn’t have much to say to 
’im,” replied Tony, smiling at his friend’s 
startled manner. “Who is he — a detective 


24 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

lookin’ for violators of the amateur wave- 
length law?” 

“You’re makin’ fun o’ me. But you won’t 
he so gay when I tell you all about him.” 

“What is it?” asked Tony a little more 
seriously. 

“You remember when Guy an’ mother went 
away — ^you were at the depot; that man was 
there, too. Didn’t you see ’im?” 

“I don’t know. What did he do? — steal 
a glass of buttermilk from the cowcatcher?” 

“You won’t take this seriously at all, Tony. 
But just wait till you come over to-night and 
I’ll show you a letter from Guy that’ll surprise 
you.” 

“What’s it about?” asked Tony, his levity 
gone. 

“Never mind now. You made fun o’ me, 
and I’m going to keep you guessing awhile.” 

It was Guy’s first long letter since leaving 
Ferncliffe that Walter showed to his friend 
that evening. The missive had arrived the 
day before and was postmarked London. It 
contained much detail concerning the voyage 
and the absent brother’s first impressions of 
the city on the Thames. 

After performing this traveler’s duty, Guy 
became more personal and told of incidents 
more intimately affecting himself and his 
mother. He began this part of his letter with 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


25 


an account of the peculiar actions of the man 
with the high-crowned derby and the trowel- 
shaped patent leathers, writing in part as 
follows: 

“After we reached New York, we lost 
sight of him, and I forgot all about him for 
several days. But he came back to my mind 
on the ship, and I couldn’t help thinking of 
his funny actions. I’m sure now that he was 
interested in what mother and I were talking 
about. I can’t forget the way I caught him 
looking at me once when I turned around and 
faced him in the car. And it’s mightly funny, 
too, his getting the seat just behind us on both 
trains. I can’t believe it just happened that 
way, though I thought so at first.” 

“Now, what do you think?” asked Walter 
as his friend finished reading the letter. 

“I don’t know,” replied the other dubious- 
ly. “Guy hasn’t explained why this fellow 
should be so interested in him and your 
mother.” 

“He might ‘a’ been a pickpocket,” sug- 
gested Walter. 

“Yes, but he didn’t get anything. And if 
he’s a confidence man, he didn’t try his game 
on them.” 

“No, he didn’t,” Walter admitted slowly. 

“You’d better give it up,” advised the wise- 


26 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

headed Tony. “Even if the fellow was in- 
terested in Guy and your mother, it didn’t 
amount to much. He didn’t do anything, and 
they’re a long way from him now.” 

“Oh, I was just worked up over the mys- 
tery,” Walter assured his friend. “I wasn’t 
afraid of anything serious.” 

The mystery, however, would not leave his 
mind, and he grew impatient because of the 
persistence with which it haunted him. Next 
afternoon as the boys were on their way home 
from school again, Guy called a halt in front 
of the Chenoweth House, saying: 

“Wait here a minute, Tony. I want to see 
the hotel clerk.” 

Walter entered the hotel and was out of 
his friend’s sight a few minutes. When he 
returned, he said: 

“I guess there’s nothing to it.” 

“Nothing to what?” inquired Tony. 

“That man Guy wrote about He’s a travel- 
ing jewelry salesman. I thought he might be 
stopping here, and he was ; but he’s gone now.” 

“Were you thinking about him yet?” ex- 
claimed Tony. “I told you there was nothing 
to it. What’s ’is name?” 

“Stanley Pickett” 

“Forget ’im.” 

Walter did — for a few weeks. 


CHAPTER IV 
Seeing London in a Fog^ 

London ! 

Guy forgot all about his poor eyesight, ex- 
cept to regret occasionally that he was forced 
to take his first view of that great city through 
colored glasses. The Old World had been 
almost a mystic hemisphere to his mind from 
his earliest reading days. In his younger boy- 
hood he had entertained some elusive and con- 
fusing ideas concerning persons and things 
far removed from his daily association. He 
had wondered if so great a man as the presi- 
dent i)f the United States were real flesh and 
blood, and even now he could not dismiss light- 
ly some of his myth-fed mental pictures of Eu- 
rope, as if the latter were located on a distant 
and doubtful-natured planet of another uni- 
verse. 

“Does the grass that grows ov6r there 
look like the ^ass that grows on our lawn?” 
was the question that had come to him some- 
times as he studied in school the history of the 
country over which hung the storied glamour 
27 


28 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

of King Arthur and Robin Hood. A^id when 
he for the first time got near enough to a 
patch of little green blades in London to pluck 
one and examine it, he felt a flush of confusion 
at the foolishness of the act. 

Guy was impressed with the immensity of 
the city before they reached the railroad ter- 
minal, but that impression became a prolonged 
thrill of metropolitan wonder as he and his 
mother left the train and moved through the 
throng of many nationalities toward the long 
line of cabs waiting for passengers. Here he 
noticed a marked distinction between the old 
and new world. New York with its dash and 
go, its modem buildings and sunny people; 
London old and grim, brooding thru its veil of 
smoke and soot on its antiquated buildings 
and solemn people. 

Their hotel they found to be a favorite 
stopping place for Americans and excellently 
located for visitors wishing to see the city. 
Guy and his mother were soon comfortably 
provided for and sought refreshments and 
rest after their journey’s end. 

On the following day they set out to meet 
the specialist. Dr. Sprague. They found him 
at one of the big hospitals of the city. He had 
been informed of their coming, but was unable 
to make an examination of the boy’s eyes that 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


29 


day. They had to be content with an appoint- 
ment two days later. 

Guy made friends rapidly wherever he 
went, and in London several such acquain- 
tances contributed much to the interest of his 
visit. One of these was a clerk of the hotel, 
two years older than the young American. 
This clerk, whose name was Arthur Fletcher, 
made his friendship doubly acceptable to Guy 
by reason of his volunteered usefulness. He 
knew London like a book and was ever ready 
with his information when needed. 

Occasionally Guy and Arthur would go out 
to see London by night. During these walks 
the former plied his English friend with ques- 
tions so industriously that his own fund of in- 
formation grew rapidly. The second of these 
occasions proved particularly memorable. 

It was early March , and pleasant weather 
when the fogs lifted or were blown away. 
London has little low temperature, even in the 
middle of winter, the most disagreable feature 
of the atmosphere being its heavy, smoke- 
laden mists. On the evening in question a 
thick fog had settled over the city, making it 
difficult for one to distinguish the features of 
another even under a street-light and at “how- 
de-do” proximity. 

Guy still wore his amber glasses, which 
caused the vapor to look weird in lighted 


30 


RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 


places. He had been receiving daily treat- 
ments to strengthen his eyes, and it was un- 
certain as yet whether he would have to un- 
dergo an operation. Mrs. Burton would have 
protested against his going out in the fog, but 
the specialist had said that he need take no 
particular precautions, except that he must 
not read and he must not lose sleep. 

‘‘I’ll show you London in a fog,” said Artie, 
as he was familiarly known because of a con- 
stitutional suggestion of effeminacy in him. 
Nevertheless, in spite of this appearance, he 
was a vigorous youth. 

“We won’t see much London, I’m afraid,” 
laughed Guy. 

“We’ll see London in its nightgown,” said 
the clerk. “The city looks like a ghost now. 
An’ there’s some ghostly things goin’ on in 
this village, you can bet safe.” 

It was like wading in thin water over-head 
deep — ^this is what it was in fact. In ten 
minutes Guy had lost all reckoning of the 
points of the compass. 

“We’re goin’to have some fun to-night,” 
said Artie as he stepped along briskly. “We’ll 
get over on some o’ the quieter streets an’ see 
what we find there.” 

“What do you mean?” inquired Guy. 

“Do you know where we are right now?” 
asked Artie evasively. 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 31 

“Why, no, not exactly.” 

“What direction are we from Trafalgar 
square?” 

“East, aren’t we?” 

“You’re wrong. You’re lost.” 

“I guess I am,”’ admitted Guy with a laugh. 

“That’s what I brought you out for — ^to get 
you lost,” Artie announced gayly. “It’s part 
o’ seein’ London in a fog. We’re on Shafts- 
bury avenue, going towards Piccadilly. I’ll 
get you lost again in a minute.” 

Suddenly Guy saw the waving of a light 
before them like the swath of a scythe in a 
hay field. It swung across their path. 

“What’s that?” asked the young American. 

“That’s a ‘bobby’,” replied the clerk. 

“A ‘bobby’?” 

“Yes— a policeman. You call ’em ’cops in 
New York. He’s lookin’ for strangers in the 
fog and steerin’ ’em clear o’ the rocks.” 

They continued to “wade” through the mist 
several squares, passing two other “bobbies” 
on the way. Meanwhile Guy found himself 
wondering what would be the next number on 
the program. 

“I wonder if its going to be like hazing 
freshmen,” he mused. “If it is, I’ll take my 
medicine withou a squirm. It’ll be all right, 
jus’ so he doesn’t walk me into the Thames.” 


32 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

There ■were a good many pedestrians mov- 
ing up and down Charing Cross road. They 
seemed not to be inconvenienced by the fog, 
passing one another like fish in water. Guy 
could not see them, but he could hear their 
footsteps, which seemed firm and unhesitat- 
ing, and he heard no collisions or evidences of 
such. 

“How does it happen that nobody runs in- 
to anybody else?” inquired the young Ameri- 
can as he walked along with one hand on his 
companion’s arm. 

“Oh, everbod/s used to it,” replied Ajrtie 
■with an air of experience. “I can dodge an 
express train if I don’t see it till it’s two feet 
away.” 

“You’re very clever,” assured Guy with 
laughing sarcasm. “But suppose the fellow 
cornin’ your way is a green one, like me — ^what 
then?” 

“I’ve got to be smart enough for both. 
There — see? If that guy hadn’t known ’is bus^ 
iness, you’d both had your headligthts pushed 
in.” 

The American youth’s awkwardness pro- 
duced a choleric grunt from a portly individual 
who proved to be surprisingly agile. Artie 
caught his companion by the sleeve and jerked 


33 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 

him aside. The pass was effected without a 
touch. 

“You’ll leam how to do it after a few more 
narrow escapes,” assured the hotel clerk. 
“Take this advice — ^never get excited and al- 
ways turn to the left.” 

“To the left?” 

“Yes, haven’t you noticed? Everybody 
takes the left side of the sidewalk here, and 
the drivers take the left side of the street.” 

“I thought there was something funny, but 
I didn’t figure out what it was,” laughed Guy. 
“This is where everybody stands on his head, 
isn’t it?” 

“If it is, we hop along on our hair pretty 
well, don’t we? You know the man ’at uses 
his head to get along in the world, gets along 
a lot better.” 

“Don’t people who live here ever get lost 
in the fog?” 

“No, that’s another case of usin’ our 
head, or part of it We smell directions here. 
Didn’t you ever hear that an Englishman can 
make his nose work farther than any other 
nationality on earth?” 

Presently they turned into a cross street, 
where they did not meet so many people. They 
advanced one square and a half; then sud- 
denly Artie called a halt. 

“Stan’ still an’ keep quiet,” he whispered. 


34 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

gripping Guy’s arm warningly. Don’t make 
a sound.” 

‘’‘What’s the matter?” asked the other 
boy, also in a whisper. 

“There’s trouble ahead. Listen.” 

Both were silent for some moments, dur- 
ing which they heard voices seemingly not 
more than twenty feet ahead. One was a 
gruff, heavy voice and was giving orders. The 
other vibrated in trembling, whining tones, 
begging for mercy. 

“Don’t take my money, don’t take my 
money,” it pleaded. “It’s all I’ve got in the 
world, and I’ll starve.” 

“Oh, stow that,” was the merciless answer. 
“You’ve got plenty where that come from, you 
old miser. Move out in the middle of the 
street an’ don’t make another sound or — ’’ 

The rest of the sentence, presumably ex- 
pressing a threat, was inaudible to the boys. 
Guy’s sympathy was aroused at once. 

“We oiight to help ’im,” he suggested. 

“We’re not goig to get mixed up in it,” re- 
plied Artie. “Leave it to me.” 

The victim seemed cowed into silence, for 
he ceased his whimpering. As the highway- 
man drove him out of the way of pedestrians, 
their footsteps could be heard on the pave- 
ment. 

“Run, pal! The bobbies is cornin’.” 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


35 


This cry of warning came from Artie and 
was intended evidently for the hold-up man. 
The ruse was successful, for, with an oath, 
the footpad dashed away, his rapidly pattering 
shoes on the pavement giving evidence of his 
panic. 

“That’s the way to handle a case o’ that 
kind, an’ you don’t get into trouble,” said Artie 
wisely. 

“We’ll be held up next,” warned Guy, as 
they continued on their way, leaving the 
“miser” to take care of himself. 

“Not much chance,” was the clerk’s reply. 
“They don’t stop two together, especially boys 
who ain’t supposed to carry a lot o’ money 
anyway.” 

But Artie’s confidence proved unwarrant- 
ed. After the boys had proceeded two blocks 
farther, a man suddenly stepped up and cov- 
ered them with a pistol, commanding gruffly: 

“Quick, now, out in the street! I’ll shoot if 
you make a sound.” 


CHAPTER V. 

Highwayman No. 2 and Mr. Smithers. 

There was nothing for Guy and Artie to do 
hut obey. The highwayman spoke and acted 
as if he meant business. He flashed a strong 
pocket electric light, illuminating the fog 
around them. The muzzle of the pistol had 
an ominous appearance, and the better part 
of valor seemed to be caution. The fellow was 
of medium height and build, and his voice was 
one of the strangest Guy had ever heard. 
Later Artie described it as a ‘‘combination of 
a squeak and a roar.” At first Guy believed 
this footpad to be the one whom Artie had 
frightened a few minutes before, but the dif- 
ference in their voices convinced him other- 
wise. 

“Perhaps, they're working together,” he 
concluded. 

“We’ll go,” said Artie with surprising cool- 
ness, in response to the highwayman’s com- 
mand, as he stepped from the sidewalk to the 
pavement. “Come on, Guy.” 

The latter followed, and presently the man 
ordered them to halt. 

“Now, spill out,” he commanded, still cov- 

36 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


37 


ering them with the light and the pistol. “Turn 
all your pockets inside out.” 

But the “honk” of a horn was now heard a 
short distance away. A motor car was ap- 
proaching. 

“Get over to this side till it passes,” was the 
highwayman’s next instruction. 

They obeyed, and the motor went slowly 
by. Guy would have called for help, but the 
weapon warned him to keep silence. Presently 
the boys were ordered back into the middle of 
the street. 

“Now,” continued the man, whose face 
could not be seen clearly because it was behind 
the light ; “out with your valu’bles. Jus’ drop 
’em on the pavement an’ move on. It won’t 
hurt me to pick ’em up. Any gentleman ought 
to be willin’ to bend ’is aristycratic back once 
in a while, you know.” 

“You’d be a heap better off if you’d bend 
your back with a pick an’ shovel,” retorted 
Artie boldly. 

“Shut your trap, sissy,” the highwayman 
ordered. “You don’t look as if you ever over- 
worked a muscle, ’cept your tongue. You 
better glue that up ag’in the roof o’ your 
mouth when you’re in the presence of gentle- 
men o’ my class— you might get into trouble. 
But I ain’t got no more time to waste. Pull 
your coats off first an’ drop ’em. I won’t take 
’em away, and if you come back here in the 
morning, you may find ’em ag’in.” 


38 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

Guy wondered at the term ‘‘sissy” applied 
to his companion. It was not light enough for 
the highwayman to distinguish the effeminate 
features of the hotel clerk, and the latter’s 
voice was not girlish. 

“I haven’t got any money,” declared Artie 
as he took off his coat and dropped it to the 
pavement. 

“No, I don’t suppose you have,” the foot- 
pad replied; “but I don’t want to miss any 
chances. You might have a’tuppence’ sewed 
up in the lining o’ yo’r wais’co’t, you know. 
Now, off with that, too.” 

Meanwhile Guy had been on the alert 
for a favorable opportunity to make a dash 
away in the fog, but the highwayman was 
watchful. Neither of the boys had enough 
valuables on his person to make it worth while 
to risk the boring of a bullet through him in 
order to save them. 

But suddenly there was an interruption to 
proceedings. Without the least warning, a 
hand shot out in the fog, grasped the wrist of 
the hand that held the pistol, and in a twin- 
kling the weapon was wrested away. 

“Help, lads ! Get ’im by the legs !” 

This instruction came from the rescuer 
sharply and vigorously. Both boys sprang 
forward to obey, but they were too late. The 
highwayman broke loose and disappeared in 
the darkness. 

“Blast the luck!” exclaimed the new ar- 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


39 


rival, picking himself up from the pavement 
where he had fallen in the scuffle. “He was 
too slippery for me. But my jiu-jitsu training 
came in good anyway,” he added as he reached 
for the highwayman’s pistol, which he had 
dropped. 

“It’s funny that gun didn’t go off when it 
fell,” said Artie. 

“It’s too bad you didn’t keep it in your 
hand when you took it away from him,” said 
Guy regretfully. “You could ’ave turned it on 
’im, and he wouldn’t ’a’ dared to run.” 

“I didn’t want to shoot ’im,” replied the 
rescuer. “I wouldn’t like to go through life 
without the consciousness of having killed a 
man.” 

“Well, he ought to have a bullet in his leg 
anyhow,” declared Artie. “I don’t believe in 
letting such fellows get off scot free.” 

“I’m satisfied as it is,” volunteered Guy, 
who was not of a vindictive nature. “He got 
a good scare an’ no money. But we haven’t 
thanked this gentleman for what he did.” 

“Give me a swift kick, will you, Guy?” ex- 
claimed Artie in disgust. “I’m ashamed o’ 
myself. You’ll go back to America convinced 
that we English are just as slow as they say 
we are.” 

“No danger of that,” assured Guy “You’ve 
shown me a pretty lively time tonight. Is 


40 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

this what you meant by seeing London in a 
fog?” 

“Not exactly, though I expected something 
to happen to show you what a fog means to 
us.” 

“That’s when most of our hold-ups occur — 
in a fog,” explained the rescuer. “A highway- 
man is safer in one of our fogs than he would 
be in your Rocky Mountains. But I must be 
moving along.” 

“We wish to thank you for rescuing us 
Mister — I May we ask your name ?” 

“Smithers— J. C. Smithers. I’m living at 
the Morley hotel.” 

“Why, that’s where we’re stopping — I 
mean I am. My friend here works there.” 

“Is that so?” returned Smithers in tone of 
surprise. “I’m pleased to hear it. Where 
were you bound for?” 

“Nowhere in particular,” replied Artie. 
“We were jus’ takin’ a walk.” 

“Seein’ London in a fog, eh? So was I — 
taking a constitutional. But I guess I’ve had 
enough and will go back. Come in and see me 
any time — ^tomorrow evening if you wiU.” 

“We surely will,” promised Guy. “We’re 
not likely to forget very soon what you did 
for us.” 

“Oh, that’s nothing,” assured Smithers 
modestly. “It was easy to do. I had all the 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


41 


advantage. By the way, you haven’t told me 
your names yet.” 

“Beg your pardon,” said Artie. “This is 
Guy Burton. He’s from the United States. 
My name is Arthur Fletcher. I’m a clerk at 
the Morley. I think I remember you. You 
came to the hotel yesterday, didn’t you?” 

“Yes, you’ve got a good memory.” 

The boys decided they had seen enough of 
London in a fog for- one evening and returned 
with Smithers to the hotel. As they were 
about to separate in the lobby, their new ac- 
quaintance repeated his invitation to them to 
call at his room the following evening. 

Guy said nothing about his adventure to 
his mother that night. He decided that it 
would make her nervous and that it would be 
better to tell his story in the morning. But 
at the breakfast table, where he related his 
experience, he found his mother possessed of 
more nerve than he expected. To be sure, she 
was startled, but as her son had suffered no 
physical injury, she took the matter cooly and 
advised him to go out no more on foggy 
nights. 

That evening Guy and Artie called at the 
room of Smithers. The latter proved to be a 
striking combination of shrewdness, smiles 
and nervous alertness. He was rather stout 
and his eyes were small, black and keen. He 


42 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

received the boys with a warm welcome, un- 
necessarily warm, it seemed to Guy. 

“Awfully glad to see you lads,” he said, 
seizing them in turn by the hand. “Come right 
in an’ make yourselves at home.” 

“Making themselves at home” consisted of 
taking seats offered by Smithers, who pro- 
duced a box of cigars and invited his guests 
to help themselves. The latter, however, not 
being addicted to the habit, declined. 

“Wise lads, very wise,” declared the host 
warmly. “Nearly everybody smokes, but 
nearly everybody is foolish, too. My only 
regret is that I must smoke alone tonight.” 

“I use’ to smoke, but my doctor told me I 
mus’ quit,” explained Artie. He said it was 
likely to give me a London fog on the brain.” 

“Ha, ha, ha,” laughed Smithers. “That’s 
a good one. I suppose he was afraid if you got 
fog on the brain, you might be held up.” 

“Yes, he was afraid my business ability 
would be held up.” 

“Good! Excellent! There’s a great lesson 
for smokers in that. Isn’t it so, Mr. Burton? 
I haven’t a doubt I’d be a millionaire if I 
hadn’t been addicted to the weed. I had excel- 
lent natural business ability. As it is. I’m only 
moderately well-to-do. What are your views 
on the subject, Mr. Burton?” 

“I’m in a funny position on the subject of 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


43 


smoking,’’ said Guy. “I don’t believe it’s good 
for a fellow, and yet, I can’t believe it puts a 
London fog in everybody’s brain an’ holds up 
his business ability. My father smokes, and 
they say he’s the best business man in Fern- 
cliffe.” 

“Mebby he’d be another Baron Rothschild 
if he didn’t smoke,” suggested Artie. 

“Didn’t Rothschild smoke? — an’, suppos- 
ing he did, what’u’d he ’a’ been if he hadn’t?” 
was Guy’s logical inquiry. 

“Ha, ha, ha,” laughed Smithers again. 
“Great idea. Burton.” 

“If Rothschild did smoke, he might ’a’ 
owned half o’ England by quittin’ before he 
began,” declared Artie sophistically. 

“Desist, lads, desist,” implored Smithers 
with mock concern. “If you produce any 
more such stunning logic, I won’t be able to 
sleep any more until I’ve sworn off smoking. 
And I don’t want to do that. It’s the chief 
care-killer of a bachelor.” 

“Are you a bachelor?” inquired Artie, 
somewhat embarrassed. 

“Dear me, yes. Don’t these quarters look 
like it — eh. Burton?” 

“Then you live in London?” Artie con- 
tinued. 

“Certainly — I’m in business here,” looking 
at Guy as he spoke. 


44 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

Smithers apparently did his best to make 
the evening pleasant for the boys, but he 
seemed to be much more interested in Guy 
than he was in Artie. In fact Guy told himself 
that the way in which the man ignored the 
hotel clerk at times was extremely uncivil. 
They discussed the holdup of the night before, 
and the rescuer produced the weapon he had 
taken from the highwayman. TTiis proved 
to be an old-fashioned thumb-cock, with a five- 
chamber cylinder. 

“Why didn’t it go off when it dropped on 
the pavement?” asked Guy. 

“It was only half-cocked an’ couldn’t,” re- 
plied the host. 

“He’s a funny highwayman,” declared 
Artie. “He must ’a’ wanted to get caught.” 

“Maybe he had a tender conscience and 
was afraid he might shoot by accident— eh, 
Burton?” suggested Smithers with a smile. 

As the boys were about to leave, the man 
extended to them a warm invitation to call 
again any time he was in. Guy, however, felt 
embarrassed because the hospitality seemed 
to be directed principally at him. 

“He’s a fine man, isn’t he?” observed Artie 
as they waited for an elevator. 

“Seems to be all right,” answered Guy. 

“Seems to be?” exclaimed Artie reproach- 
fully. “It’s funny you’re so cool about it when 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


45 


he’s so much interested in you. You’re the 
one he wants to call again.” 

“That’s just what I don’t like about it. He’s 
a nice fellow and all that; but it isn’t very 
polite for a host to give all his attention to one 
when two invited callers are present.” 

“You’re a queer one!” exclaimed Artie. 
“That didn’t bother me any. You’re a rich 
man’s son, an’ I’m only a hotel clerk. That’s 
the reason he was more interested in you.” 

It was Guy’s turn to be astonished. He 
had not thought of this aspect of the affair. 

“I’m surprised at you,” he said reproach- 
fully. “I don’t believe he thought of such a 
thing. If he did, I haven’t any use for ’im.” 


CHAPTER VI 

Artie’s “Failure” as a Detective 

Smithers did not allow his acquaintance 
with Guy Burton to wax cold during the lat- 
ter’s stay in London. He was diligent in his 
efforts to make himself agreeable to the young 
American. Guy learned from incidental 
sources that the man was proprietor of a 
jewelry store in Bond street and was credited 
with doing a large business. Bond street is 
the center of the retail jewelry trade in London 
and has many fine stores. 

This jeweler, owned a motor car and 
passed much of his leisure time wearing out 
tires and pavements. On the Saturday after- 
noon following the adventure with the high- 
wayman in the fog, he asked Guy to take a 
spin with him, and the invitation was accepted. 
They got an early start and bowled over the 
boulevards to the southwest, passing through 
Batterson Park and Wimbledon Park east to 
Bromley, and back to Trafalgar Square by 
way of Greenwich. The car was a low, tor- 
pedo-shaped machine, which skimmed along 

46 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 47 

the ground as if racing to the destruction of a 
foreign fleet. The owner took much delight 
in the “dangerous” appearance of his “Shark,” 
as he named the car. 

“This is my hobby,” he remarked as they 
spun along at a rate that caused Guy to fear 
they would be arrested for speeding. “Every 
Englishman has a hobby, you know.” 

“I thought most Englishmen’s hobby was 
riding horses,” replied Guy. “I was a little 
surprised to find the automobiles crowding 
the horses oif the earth here just the same as 
in the United States.” 

“Sure they are. Before long there won’t 
be any horses in London at all.” 

“Will Englishmen hunt foxes in automo- 
biles?” asked Guy with seeming innocence. 

“Hardly,” laughed Smithers. “There’ll al- 
ways be horses for the sportsmen. But as a 
useful animal, the horse has seen his best days 
here. By the way, have you got a hobby? I 
suppose if you have, it’s a wild one, since you 
live in an Indian country,” he added "with a 
twinkle. 

“Not so very,” assured Guy. “But I’ve a 
sort of a hobby that’s full of thrills.” 

“I thought so. What is it?” 

“Wireless Telegraphy.” 

“Good ! Got an outfit ?” 

“Yes, two of ’em — my brother and I have. 


48 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

We’re gettin’ to be experts. My brother’s 
better’n I am. We got interested in wireless 
during the war, reading about how amateurs 
helped the government spot wireless spies.” 

Smithers listened eagerly to Guy’s state- 
ment and asked him a good many questions. 
The latter was an enthusiast and was glad to 
keep the discussion going as long as his com- 
panion did not appear to be bored. 

“How’re you getting along with your doc- 
tor?” inquired the man finally after they had 
exhausted the wireless subject. 

“Fine. I won’t have to have an operation. 
Dr. Sprague has done some great work on my 
eyes.” 

“I congratulate you. How long do you ex- 
pect to remain in London yet?” 

“Two or three weeks.” 

“Going back to New York direct?” 

“Yes.” 

“I didn’t know but you’d travel on the con- 
tinent before returning.” 

“No, we didn’t come prepared for that. Be- 
sides, mother’s in a hurry to get back. She’d 
like to visit some of the war scenes, but she’d 
want the whole family along.” 

“How many in your family?” 

“Five— two boys, a girl, and father an’ 
mother.” 

It was seven o’clock when they reached the 


49 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 

hotel again, and both were hungry. Mrs. Bur- 
ton had already dined and Smithers insisted 
on Guy's eating with him. As they left the 
dining room they met Artie Fletcher in the 
lobby, where they passed the time of day (or 
night), and then the jeweler left the boys to- 
gether and went to his room. 

Guy told his friend about his drive with 
Smithers and remarked that he wished Artie 
might have accompanied them. But the 
young clerk had a story to tell of an interest- 
ing experience of his own that afternoon. 

“Fm glad I didn’t go,” he said. “Anyway, 
I had to work an’ couldn’t. But you can’t 
guess who I saw today.” 

“I give up. Who was it?” 

“Mr. Highwayman of the mysterious 
mist.” 

“What!” 

“That polite gentleman who shoved a gun 
in our faces and asked for our bonds an’ mort- 
gages.” 

“You don’t say!” 

Artie laughed. 

“I knew you’d be excited,” he said. 

“How do you know who it was?” asked 
Guy incredulously. “We couldn’t see ’is face 
in the fog.” 

“I recognized ’is voice.” 

“Is that all?” 


50 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

“No, but that’s enough. Two men never 
had his voice — a combination of a squeak and 
a roar. Y ou couldn’t miss it among a million.” 

‘T remember it all right,” said Guy. “But 
that isn’t proof enough. You couldn’t have 
’im arrested on that.” 

“Oh, I wasn’t thinking of having ’im ar- 
rested. He didn’t get anything from us. I 
only had some fun with ’im.” 

V “How? What kind o’ looking fellow was 
he?” 

“That’s the funny part about ’im. He looks 
like a gentleman— prosperous. Quite digni- 
fied ; wears fine clothes, a diamond ring and a 
dandy solitaire stud.” 

“Where’d you see ’im?” 

“At the desk. He came in an’ asked for — 
who’d you think he asked for? — Guess.” 

“Me,” laughed Guy. 

“No, you’re not important enough. Guess 
again.” 

“Mr. Smithers?” 

“Right.” 

“You don’t say! What’d he want to see him 
for?” 

“I don’t know. But I made use of a guess 
to have some fun.” 

“What was it?” 

“That he wanted to get ’is revolver back. 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 5 1 

I might ’a’ lost my job if I hadn’t been mighty ' 
careful,” 

“What’d you do?” 

“When he came to the desk and asked 
for Smithers, I was sure who he was right 
away. If I’d stopped to think, I might not ’a’ 
been so sure, and I’m glad now I didn’t stop.” 

“What did you do?” repeated Guy impa- 
tiently. 

“I leaned over — this way — so my face al- 
most touched his, and said: ‘Say, mister, did 
you lose a revolver in the fog the other 
night?” 

“What did he do?” 

“I thought he was going to drop,” replied 
Artie with a smart air. “I jumped back quick 
so ’t could look at ’im, an’ ’is face got as pale 
as a corpse. He spit out a few noises, an’ then 
sputtered : 

“ ‘Did I lose a revolver in the fog? What 
makes you ask that question?’ ” 

“I was just wondering if you owned the 
one Mr. Smithers found,” I replied. 

“He was cool now and got his color back. 

“ ‘Did Smithers find a gun?’ he asked; and 
I told him to ask Smithers when he saw ’im.” 

“Wha’ ’d he say?” inquired Guy, as Artie 
paused in his narrative. 

“He said he would, but he denied he’d lost 
a gun. Smithers wasn’t in, so he said he’d 


52 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

come back again and went away.” 

“You’re sure he’s the highwayman?” 

“You’ve got all the evidence I have. What 
do you think about it?” 

“It looks funny. What are you going to do 
about it?” 

“Oh, nothing I guess. Let’s go an’ see 
Smithers.” 

“All right, if it isn’t too late.” 

“It’s only twenty minutes to nine. He 
won’t go to bed for an hour yet.” 

They found Smithers in his room reading 
a newspaper. He seemed delighted, as usual, 
to see them, calling out heartily: 

“Come in, lads, an’ make yourselves at 
home. I tell you an old bachelor like me 
gets mighty lonesome sometimes. Think I’ll 
get married or adopt a family. What’s on 
your mind?” 

“We’ve got some important news for you 
— ^that is, Artie has,” said Guy. “That’s why 
we called so late — ^thought you’d like to know 
it. He saw the man to-day who tried to hold 
us up.” 

“What!” 

There could be no doubt that Smithers was 
interested. He exhibited more astonishment 
than Guy had shown at Artie’s information; 
he sprang to his feet, then sank back into his 
seat and broke into a laugh. 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 53 

“You don’t mean he tried to hold you up 
again?” he inquired, turning to Artie. 

“No,” was the clerk’s smiling answer. “He 
wanted his gun back, I suppose.” 

“His gun back?” 

“Yes, he came to the desk and asked for 
you.” 

“Asked for me !” 

“Yes.” 

“How could he know I had ’is gun?” 

“I told ’im.” 

“Oh, but I don’t understand. How’d you 
know he was the highwayman? Did he tell 
you so?” 

“Hardly. He only said he wanted to see 
you, and — ” 

“Before or after you told ’im I’d found a 
gun?” 

“Before.” 

“But how’d he know me?” asked Smithers 
with a seemingly puzzled air. 

“I don’t know,” replied Artie. “That’s 
what mystifies us.” 

“How’d you know who he was?” 

“I recognized ’is voice.” 

“Oh,” responded Smithers meditatively. 
Then turning to Guy he added: 

“Your friend is very expert in the identi- 
fication of voices. He ought to belong to 
Scotland Yard. Are you as clever in that 


54 


RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 


line?” 

'‘No, Fm sure I couldn’t do as well as he 
did,” replied Guy. “I couldn’t say positively 
I’d never heard a voice like the highwayman’s. 
I think Artie’s got sharper ears ’n I have.” 

“You didn’t tell ’im you recognized ’im as 
the highwayman, did you?” asked Smithers, 
addressing the clerk. 

“Oh, no,” replied the latter with a wise 
blink. “I only asked ’im if he’d lost a revolver 
in the fog, an’ told ’im you found one.” 

“But I didn’t.” 

“Well, you picked it up after it was 
dropped, so I didn’t tell such an awful big 
fib.” 

“Wha’ ’d he say?” 

‘^He said it wasn’t his an’ walked out.” 

“So you believe he was the highwayman, 
do you?” asked the jeweler with a look of 
amusement. 

“He must ’a’ been.” 

“Suppose you should find out he’s a good 
friend o’ mine— what then?” 

“I — I don’t know,” stammered Artie. “I 
didn’t think o’ that. Is he?” 

“I didn’t say he was — I don’t know,” 
laughed Smithers. “But your suspicion is so 
very improbable, I wanted to find out how 
certain you were of your evidence. I’m pretty 
well acquainted at Scotland Yard an’ happen 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


55 


to know they’re looking for keen, shrewd men 
all the time. I was going to recommend you 
for a job over there, but I’m afraid I can’t 
now. If my suggestion that this fel- 
low might be a friend o’ mine hadn’t 
weakened you so, I’d take you over and have 
’em give you a trial; but, as it is, I’m afraid 
you’re only a dreamer. A sharp rascal could 
bluff you too easy.” 

Artie’s face showed evidence of his disap- 
pointment. He really had entertained fond 
ambition of becoming a detective, but now it 
seemed that all such hope must be cast aside. 
He had a serious weakness: He wasn’t sure of 
himself. 

“Have you got a friend with a voice like 
this man’s?” inquired Artie with a suggestion 
of unsteadiness in his utterance and realizing 
as he spoke that he was continuing the weak- 
ness of which he had been accused. 

“I don’t know what kind o’ voice he’s got,” 
replied Smithers sharply; “but that doesn’t 
’’make any difference. If your detective sense 
were of high order, you wouldn’t hesitate to 
make a positive charge against him even 
though you knew him to be my brother. Fm 
very sorry, my boy, for I was beginning to 
think I’d discovered a genius in you.” 

“I’ll think it over an’ tell you to-morrow 
hoW certain I am,” announced Artie in as 


56 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

business-like manner as he could command. 
Then he arose from his chair and moved to- 
ward the door, fingering the hem of his coat 
nervously. 

“Oh, my! no; that wouldn’t do any good,” 
advised Smithers, also rising. “The great 
secret of a successful life as a detective,” — 
speaking very impressively — “rests in know- 
ing a thing beyond a doubt and of knowing 
immediately that you know it. Come an’ see 
me anytime^ — ^you’re always welcome — ^but 
forget that detective business. You’re a fine 
fellow, but as a sleuth I’m afraid you’d prove 
to be a false alarm.’ 


CHAPTER VII 


“Wireless Shoes” 

Two- more weeks elapsed, and Guy was 
authorized by the specialist to “throw away” 
his glasses. This he did joyfully, for now he 
would be able to see something of London in 
its natural colors. He had heard much of the 
great city’s buildings, black from the smoke- 
laden fog, but was now pleased to find that 
they were not nearly so unsightly as they had 
been described to him. 

His association with Smithers continued 
with more or less intimacy up to the time of 
the departure for Loverpool to take passage 
for America. The man persisted in making 
himself agreeable in a sort of inconsequential 
manner, and the boy could see no reason for 
repelling his friendly advances, inasmuch as 
they seemed to be genuine. Indeed, the Bond 
street jeweler was cunningly skilled in the art 
of affability and could, on occasion, advance 
his purpose by making himself useful as well 
as entertaining. 

On the last Saturday of Guy’s sojourn in 

57 


58 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

London, Smithers invited him to take another 
motor ride, this time through other parts of 
the city and adjoining suburbs. As they were 
spinning back toward the hotel in the evening, 
the conversation turned upon Guy’s expected 
departure for America a few days later. 

“What day are you going to leave?” asked 
the jewel merchant, introducing the subject. 

“Wednesday,” Guy replied. 

“Well, I’m sorry you’re going, but glad 
your eyes are all right. Hope you come back 
some time again. When you do, look me up, 
and I’ll be at your service. I’m a lonesome 
fellow when alone and like to pick up folks 
and give ’em a good time.” 

“I’ve appreciated your kindness,” the boy 
responded warmly. “I wish I could return 
the favor.” 

“Oh, it’s nothing, nothing at all. You’re 
perfectly welcome. I took a personal pleasure 
in doing it. But, by the way, you can do me 
a favor if you will. Maybe you’ll be a little 
interested in the idea, too, as it has a kind of 
affinity for your hobby. I have a friend in 
New York who is troubled with rheumatism 
in the feet, and I want to send him a pair of 
wireless shoes.” 

“Wireless shoes !” exclaimed Guy. “That’s 
a new one on me.” 

“It will be a new one on my friend, too,” 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


59 


declared Smithers with an eager twinkle in his 
eyes. “But seriously, it’s a very good thing, 
and I want my friend to get the benefit of it 
without having to wait imtil we’ve protected 
all our rights with patents. 

“Why don’t you express them to your 
friend right from here?” asked Guy. 

“That’s just the point that I want you to 
help me get around. I’m afraid to put a pair 
of those shoes in the hands of anybody here 
in England. I know we’re being watched by 
persons who wouldn’t hesitate to steal the idea 
from us. You see, the revenue officers make 
a close inspection of all such shipments, and 
I’m afraid they’d ask embarrassing questions 
if I tried to send the shoes as you suggest. 
There’s no telling what might happen, for the 
persons who are watching us have good 
government connections. The best way to 
get around this danger, it seems to me, is to 
have some trustworthy person take the shoes 
to America and there express them to my 
friend. There’d be no revenue charge on a 
personal item of that kind.” 

“That’s very interesting,” said Guy; “and 
I’ll be glad to do anything I can to help you 
get the shoes to your friend. But aren’t you 
putting too much confidence in me? I might 
make a blunder of some kind that would give 
your secret away.” 


60 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

“Fm not afraid of that,” assured Smithers. 
“The only way you could do me any harm is by 
purposely betraying me, and Fll risk that with- 
out any fear whatever. Of course, if it would 
inconvenience you any — ” 

“No inconvenience at all,” interrupted Guy 
reassuringly. “You can depend on me to take 
care of the matter without fail. But I admit 
I’m curious to know why you call them wire- 
less shoes.” 

“Because they are strictly wireless shoes, 
operating on the same principle as wireless 
telegraphy.” 

“You don’t say. But, understand, I’m not 
asking you to reveal your secret to me. Of 
course, you wouldn’t do it if I asked you to.” 

“No^ not all of it,” Smithers replied. “But 
I’m glad to tell you this much : Inside the heels 
are small induction coils. The antenna con- 
sists of a wire belt with fine flexible wires run- 
ning down inside the trouser legs and coupling 
with wire posts at the tops of the shoes. This 
antenna is sensitive to wireless waves con- 
stantly pulsating in the ether. When the con- 
nections are complete, the induction coil is 
thrown into action by the wireless waves re- 
ceived, and a condition of electro-magnetism 
is produced. One necessary connection is 
made by pressing the bare sole of the foot 
against two electrodes on the inner side of the 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 61 

sole of each shoe, so that each foot gets the 
benefit of the wireless waves and the electric 
reaction. That sounds like the whole secret, 
doesn’t it, but there’s another important 
element I’m holding back.” 

“The idea’s clever,” said the boy with a 
smile of amused interest. “I’ll be glad to take 
a pair and express them to your friend in New 
York, and I hope they’ll cure his rheumatism.” 

And so when Guy and his mother started 
for Liverpool, the former had in his trunk a 
box containing a pair of seemingly ordinary, 
well made shoes and a detached arrangement 
of insulated wires and belt antenna. On a 
card in his purse, he had also, as a memoran- 
dum, the name and New York address of 
Stanley Pickett, to whom Smithers had re- 
quested him to express the shoes. 

Guy was especially sorry to part with Artie 
Fletcher. It seemed like saying good-by to a 
chum of years. Of course, they agreed to 
write to each other, and Artie promised to be 
careful when out in the fog and to inform Guy 
if he saw or heard anything more of the high- 
wayman of the “funny voice.” 

The liner, Herculanea, on which Mrs. Bur- 
ton and her son took passage at Liverpool was 
larger than the one on which they had made 
their first voyage, affording a greater variety 
of service, convenience, and entertainment. 


62 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

Guy found a new general pleasure on this trip, 
in that he was permitted to view things with- 
out colored glasses. It seemed almost like 
traveling on a new sea, in a new world, among 
a new kind of people and on a new kind of 
ship. 

On the first day out, a chance incident 
caused him to make the acquaintance of the 
second mate, and in the conversation that fol- 
lowed, Guy disclosed his interest in wireless 
telegraphy. The officer was sociable and oblig- 
ing and introduced the boy to the operator 
in the radio house near the bridge. The latter, 
too, proved to be a good-natured fellow, al- 
though perpetually busy, and allowed the 
“radio boy” to listen in several times. 

Guy made another acquaintance also while 
the steamer was passing from Liverpool to 
Queensland. It was with a man who occupied 
a stateroom next to his. This passenger was 
a very .talkative fellow, with a peculiar knack 
of seeming to say a good deal every time he 
spoke. He was straight-built, of medium 
height and weight, wore a mustache and 
goatee, and bore himself with the manner of 
one subconsciously wise. Guy was well im- 
pressed with him at first because he was lively 
and interesting. 

“I dropped a bunch of keys somewhere 
around here,” were the words with which this 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


63 


passenger first addressed himself to Burton. 
The latter had just come out of his stateroom 
and was moving toward the stairway to join 
his mother on the promenade when “the man 
next door” spoke to him. 

‘T didn’t see them,” Guy replied, delaying 
just long enough to be courteous and then 
moving on. 

He reached the promenade and found his 
mother where he had left her, one of a group 
of some twenty passengers, all watching the 
shifting scene between them and the English 
shore. The steamer was plowing through 
St. George’s channel, and the dominant feature 
of the scene consisted of vessels of all sorts, 
big and small, and seemingly without number. 

A few minutes later the stateroom neigh- 
bor of the Burton’s approached and took a 
seat near the boy. The latter did not observe 
him at once, but when he did, the man greeted 
him with a careless smile that inspired con- 
fidence and familiarity: 

“Did you find your keys?” inquired Guy. 

“Yes, thank you,” was the reply. “I’d 
dropped ’em in my stateroom.” 

“You’re lucky.’ 

“You’re right. I’m lucky. I’d ’ave missed 
a very important wireless message if I hadn’t 
found that key.” 

“Is that so!” Guy returned with puzzled 


64 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

curiosity. “Y ou interest me, for I have a wire- 
less outfit at home and I can’t see how the loss 
of a key could ’ave caused you to miss a wire- 
less message.” 

“Oh,” replied the strange fellow; “that’s 
easily explained. You see I’m on a business 
trip to America, and the business success of 
myself and my partner depends to a consider- 
able extent on the schemes we resort to for 
the sake of economy. N o w, it’s important that 
I receive a telegram from my partner every 
day, but not important that I should answer 
those telegrams. So I’ve provided myself with 
a -wireless receiving set, and every day at an 
agreed time I am at my station to get his 
message. I just got to-day’s message which 
I’d ’ave missed if I hadn’t been able to find 
my keys.” 

“Do you mean that you have an indoor re- 
ceiving outfit set up in your stateroom?” Guy 
demanded in astonishment. 

“That’s exactly what I do mean,” replied 
the “radio man.” 

“You don’t mean to say that you expect 
to receive messages from England with an in- 
door set all the way across the Atlantic ocean,” 
Guy continued with increasing wonder. 

“I certainly do,” was the others reply. “I’ve 
done it many times on trips to America. But 
of course there are not many receiving sets 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


65 


like mine. It’s almost an invention in itself. 
My partner was with the British signal ser- 
viec in France, and he had a good deal 
of experienc with V-shaped antennae on 
scouting automobiles for locating German 
wireless stations. Connected with those an- 
tennae were loading coils, sufficient to give 
very small antennae the receiving range of 
aerials a hundred feet long or more.” 

“Excuse my inquisitiveness,” said Guy, 
“but do you maintain a sending station in Eng- 
land? I don’t see where the economy comes 
in.” 

“Very simply matter,” answered the 
“radio man,” “we have a secret ally who is an 
operator for a certain mercantile station. He 
sends the messages to me in secret code. I al- 
ways know his wave length and never miss.” 

“That’s interesting,” Guy remarked at the 
close of this explanation, but the tone of his 
voice did not indicate much enthusiasm. He 
felt considerable doubt as to the propriety of 
the method employed by Gunseyt and his part- 
ner in getting free trans-Atlantic wireless 
service. 

“Come in and look my set over any time,” 
said the radio trickster. “Here’s my card. 
May I have the pleasure of knowing your 
name?” 

“Guy Burton,” answered the boy, glancing 


66 


RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 


at the card on which was printed the name 
Christopher Gunseyt and the address London. 
“This is my mother, Mr. Gunseyt,” he added ; 
for Mrs Burton had been an attentive listener 
to the conversation. 


CHAPTER Vra 
A Suspicious Intruder. 

Guy made mental note of one peculiarity 
in Mr. Gunseyt; the tone of his voice was 
slightly strained, and the fluency of his speech 
seemed to have been accomplished after long 
practiced effort to overcome a difficulty of 
some kind. The boy was unable to explain this 
to his own satisfaction. He could not con- 
vince himself that it was due entirely to a 
natural impediment or physical defect. 

In the afternoon Guy made the acquaint- 
ance of an interesting, tall, square-built, large 
featured man in the gymnasium. The latter 
introduced himself as Henry Watson of 
Cincinnati. They played handball together 
for more than an hour. 

“I was sitting a few feet away from you 
and that fellow Guseyt while you were talking 
wireless with him,” Watson remarked during 
one of their resting periods. “He had quite 
a stunning story to tell, didn’t he?” 

“Yes, he had,” Guy agreed. “I’m going in 


67 


68 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

and have a look at his outfit the first oppor- 
tunity.” 

“Did he tell you what business he’s in?” 
asked Watson. 

, “No, he didn’t; I felt like asking him, but 
checked my curiosity.” 

At the close of their last game they sat 
down and continued their talk along other 
lines. 

“Been traveling on the continent?” in- 
quired Watson. 

“No; we were in London all the time,” re- 
plied Guy. “I was having my eyes treated.” 

“Where did you stop?’ 

“At the Morley hotel.” 

“Is that so?” said Watson with a shade of 
surprise. “I have a friend living there — 
Smithers is his name. Didn’t happen to meet 
him, did you?” 

“The jeweler? Yes, I met him, got well 
acquainted with him. Very accommodating 
fellow.” 

“Yes, he’s a jolly old bachelor,” replied 
Watson meditatively. “I’ve known him for 
ten years, more or less. I’m in the wholesale 
jewelery business and have had occasion to 
visit London and Paris and one or two other 
European cities every year, except during the 
war.” 

After exercising a while in the gym, they 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


69 


visited the shower baths and then returned to 
the promenade deck. There they separated, 
and soon afterward Guy came upon Mr. Gun- 
seyt lounging alone in one of the sheltered 
comers. His hat was tipped slightly over his 
eyes and he looked as if he was on the verge 
of a doze. 

“Hello, my young radio friend,” he called 
out, sitting up straight as he caught sight of 
the boy. “When are you coming in to have a 
look at my wireless?” 

“Any time you say,” answered Guy. 

“Come on now.” 

“All right.” 

They went to Gunseyt’s stateroom, and 
there Guy found the man’s receiving set ap- 
parently all that it was represented to be. The 
cabineted outfit was mounted on a table, near 
which was a collapsible frame standard sup- 
porting a rather elaborate loop antenna. The 
owner of this outfit gave his guest a more or 
less learned lecture on its strong points of 
usefulness, and invited the boy to “listen in” 
a few minutes. Then they returned to the 
sheltered corner where Guy had found Gun- 
seyt in a mood of mid-day drowsiness. 

^ There they sat down and engaged in a ram- 
bling conversation on subjects incident to a 
trans-oceanic trip. Guy was enthusiastic over 
the accommodations on board the Herculanea 


70 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

and spoke warmly of the athletic refresh- 
ment he and Watson and enjoyed in the gym- 
nasium. 

“Who’s Watson?” asked Gunseyt. 

“He’s a tall, big-boned man who sat near 
you and me when you first told me about your 
radio set,” Guy replied. 

“That fellow? His name isn’t Watson. 
It’s Lantry, and he’s a crook, or I’m badly 
mistaken. I suspect he’s one of those card 
sharks that live on the ocean and bleed the 
rich, sporty passengers. If he isn’t that, he’s 
something else not classed with good citizen- 
ship.” 

“What makes you think that?” asked the. 
astonished Guy. “He seems to be a very fine 
man.” 

“Of course he does. The best of them al- 
ways do. He’s traveling under a false name. 
And I know something more about him, but 
I don’t like to tell it because I can’t prove 
my story. There’s some things you can know 
in this world, my boy, but it’s safer to keep 
’em to yourself. My advice to you is to give 
Mr. Lantry, alias Watson, a wide berth, or 
lock your money in an iron trunk and throw 
the key overboard.” 

“He wouldn’t get much from me if he did 
get into my trunk or my pockets,” replied the 
boy. “I’m not afraid of him.” 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


71 


“Well, be careful anyway. Such fellows 
have got a surprise for you at every turn. 
They’re not safe to get mixed up with under 
ordinary circumstances.” 

“Would one of those big gamblers pick 
your pocket?” 

“Oh, perhaps not. They’d rather get your 
*spon’ legitimately. That’s safer, you know. 
But I’m not saying positively this follow’s a 
card shark. I’ll tell you, though, what he’s 
been if you’ll promise not to breathe a word to 
anybody. He could make a lot of trouble for 
me for circulating stories about him that I 
couldn’t prove in a court of law.” 

“I’m not a gossip,” reassured the boy a 
little proudly. 

“Well, be sure you keep this to yourself. 
If by accident it does you any good, I’m glad 
to pass you the information. I don’t know 
what his game is now, but he used to be a fog 
pirate.” 

“A what?” 

“A fog pirate, a London fog pirate. That’s 
a highwayman, or footpad, who works his 
game under cover of the fog.” 

“How do you know Watson, or Lantry, 
has been a fog pirate?” inquired Guy, with 
peculiar interest because of “fog pirate” 
experiences of his own. 

“He was pointed out to me as such by a 


72 


RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 


man who knows London street life from West 
End to Woolwich. That man told me Lantry 
was king of the fog pirates.” 

“You’re sure there’s no mistake about it?” 

“Absolutely. And he’s the nerviest gent 
of the mist that ever lived. Likes to hobnob 
with swells on dough borrowed in the fog.” 

“I’m much obliged to your for telling me 
this,” said Guy appreciatively. “I’ll look out 
that he doesn’t try any game on me.” 

“Always be on your guard wherever you 
go,” advised Gimseyt, settling back in his seat 
as if to indicate that he had said all he cared 
to say on this subject. “There are sharpers 
all around you. Even a lot of the biggest 
guns will try to do you if you’re big enough 
game to make it worth their while.” 

“I’ll watch out,” was the boy’s assurance 
as he walked away. 

Next day Guy met Watson in the gym- 
nasium again. At first he was inclined to 
avoid him because of the light in which the 
large-featured man had been pictured by Gun- 
seyt. But a hearty greeting forced the boy’s 
geniality to the surface and constrained him 
to be polite. 

“Hello, Burton,” cried Watson, ceasing 
his vicious jabs at a punching bag. “How’s 
your nautical demeanor?” 

“On even keel,” replied Guy. “Engine’s 


73 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 

oiled, pilot’s sober and the fireman’s shovelin’ 
coal.” 

“Good! You’re an up-to-date seaman. I 
presume this isn’t your first trip?” 

“First across the ocean; but my father 
owns a yacht, and I can run it better than he 
can.” 

“How’s your radio friend, Gunseyt? Great 
name he’s got, isn’t it? That goatee of his 
ought to make a good direction finder, 
oughtn’t it?” 

“I think I’d change my name if I had one 
like that,” laughed the boy. 

“Why?” 

“Because it attracts too much attention. It 
sounds too much like a joke nom-de-plume of 
a war correspondent.” 

“Ha-ha — ^ha,” roared Watson. “I hadn’t 
thought of that. If you were going to change 
your name from Gunseyt, what name would 
lyou choose?” 

“If I were going to change my name 
right now. I’d change it to Lantry.” 

Guy looked keenly at the large-featured 
man as he made this reply. He was watching 
for a sudden change in his countenance, in- 
dicating surprise or confusion; but he was 
disappointed. The only expression he beheld 
was one of curiosity. 


74 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

‘‘Why would you change it to that?” 
Watson inquired. 

“It’s the first that came to my mind. Mr. 
Gunseyt was telling me aJ story of a man 
named Lantry.” 

“Was Lantry another radio shark?” 

“No, Mr. Lantry, he said, was a fog pirate.” 

“A fog pirate ! What’s that?’ 

If Watson was pretending innocence, he did 
it cleverly. Guy was unable to detect a sugges- 
tion of duplicity in his manner. 

“That’s what I wanted to know when he 
used the term to me,” said the boy. “He ex- 
plained that it’s a footpad in London who 
holds up people in the fog.” 

“How did he happen to tell you about Lan- 
try. Did he know him?” 

“He seemed to. He said the man had been 
pointed out to him as a fog pirate.” 

At the close of this conversation Guy was 
more puzzled than ever regarding Watson. 
The latter’s face seemed honest enough, but it 
exhibited a shrewdness of expression that de- 
termined the boy to keep on his guard. How- 
ever, there was little timidity in Guy, and he 
could see no reason why he should avoid the 
man during the short period of their voyage. 

But the next day something happened that 
put a new complexion on matters and seemed 
to make action with regard to this strange 


75 


OR; CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 

man neccessary. The weather had been warm 
and fair during the first day out, and pas- 
sengers could pass the time on the open decks 
with comfort. But the steamer took a north- 
ern route, and soon it became cold and 
stormy and everybody kept under cover. The 
reading rooms, the smokers, the parlors, and 
the lounges and various sheltered places of 
recreation, rest and amusement were well 
patronized. 

In the middle of the afternoon of the day 
in question, Guy left his mother writing let- 
ters in a drawing-room and started for his 
stateroom to get a book. When he was about 
fifty feet away from his number, he was 
startled to see a man step hastily out of his 
mother’s room, which adjoined his own, close 
the door, and walk rapidly away. 

At first Guy thought the man must be an 
employee of the steamer, but a second glance 
assured him that this could not be. All the 
ship’s attendants were in uniform, and this 
person was not so attired. Moreover, the boy 
was certain he recognized the intruder. 

But the man did not turn his face toward 
Guy after a first hurried glance in the latter’s 
direction. He moved with long strides toward 
the nearest stairway. Guy observed that he 
was tall, squarely built, and carried no super- 
fluous flesh. 


76 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

“I’ll follow him and make sure,” resolved 
the boy, starting after the retreating figure. 
“If anything’s been stolen. I want to know 
who took it.” 

Guy pursued the man up the stairway to 
the next deck above. The fellow ran up the 
stairs, two steps at a bound, and when the 
boy reached the next upper landing, he fancied 
he saw the fugitive enter a cafe. Guy entered 
also, but the man had disappeared. 

Vexed at being thus outwitted, young Bur- 
ton left the cafe and searched the neighbor- 
hood unsuccessfully. Then he returned to his 
stateroom, the door of which he found locked. 
He unlocked the door and entered. Inside all 
was not in the orderly condition in which it 
had been left an hour or two earlier. 

Guy and his mother occupied adjoining 
staterooms. Each of these, owing to architec- 
tural neccessity in its peculiar position, was 
constructed and fitted for the accommodation 
of but one passenger. A door between the two 
rooms indicated that they were intended oc- 
casionally to be used as a suite. 

The door was open, as Guy and his mother 
had left it. On a chair in his mother’s room, 
the boy found his mother’s valise, which he 
remembered distinctly she had left on the 
floor. He took hold of the handle and was 
about to lift, when it fell open. Probably the 


77 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 

intruder had attempted to clasp it, but failed, 
in his haste to depart 

A protruding piece of linen under the lid 
of his trunk in his own room next attracted 
the boy’s attention. He took hold of the lid 
and lifted. It was unlocked. Guy was certain 
he had locked the trunk before leaving the 
room two hours earlier. 

Inside the trunk he found new evidence of 
meddling. The box containing the “wireless 
shoe” outfit had been opened. The paper in 
which it had been wrapped was removed and 
tucked under other contents of the trunk. Ap- 
parently the man had hoped to find valuables 
in this box. 

Guy made a through examination of all his 
belongings, which were in considerable dis- 
order, but nothing had been stolen. Then he 
left the room, locked the door, and started for 
the place where he had left his mother. 


CHAPTER IX 
A Puzzling Situation 

On hearing her son’s story, Mrs. Burton 
hastened to her stateroom, entering with Guy 
through his room. But nothing of hers ap- 
peared to have been stolen. However, she was 
certain that her steamer trunk had been 
opened, although she found it locked. The 
contents were not in the order she had left 
them. Them Guy tried the door of his 
mother’s room, but it also was locked. 

“I’m sure the fellow was Watson, or Lan- 
try,” Guy declared after they had convinced 
themselves that nothing had been stolen. 

“Who are Watson and Lantry?” his 
mother inquired. 

“I forgot you didn’t know. I didn’t tell 
you what Mr. Gunseyt told me about one of 
the passengers. That passenger calls himself 
Watson, but Mr. Gunseyt says his name is 
Lantry and he used to be a fog pirate.” 

‘What is a fog pirate?” 

Guy told his mother all that the “radio 


78 


79 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 

passenger” had told him in this relation and 
then added: 

“Fm certain that Watson, or Lantry, is the 
man who entered our rooms. I didn’t get a 
good look at his face, but I know his form so 
well I don’t believe I could be mistaken.” 

Guy decided that a complaint ought to be 
made for the protection of the other passen- 
gers, as well as themselves ; so he sought out 
the second mate and related the affair to him. 
The officer listened attentively, asked several 
questions, and then assured the boy that the 
matter would be looked into. 

An hour later Guy found Mr. Gunseyt in a 
smoking room and told him what had oc- 
curred. The latter was not easily surprised 
but he showed considerable interest in this 
affair. 

“Didn’t you lock your door when you left 
your stateroom?” he asked. 

“Yes,” replied Guy. 

“Then how did he get in?” 

“That’s what puzzles me. He must ’ave 
unlocked the door; but how did he do it? Do 
you think he bribed the steward who takes 
care of the room?” 

“It isn’t likely,” said Gunseyt thought- 
fully. “And I don’t see how he could have 
picked the lock. The locks on these stateroom 


80 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

doors are no common ones. Have you any idea 
who the fellow was?’' 

In telling his story, Guy had omitted all ref- 
erence to Watson. He could not take oath as 
to the identity of the intruder, although 
morally certain of his recognition, and he did 
not wish to do the man an injustice by er- 
roneously advertising him. He had told the 
second mate his suspicion, but that was to aid 
the ship’s officers in protecting the other 
passengers from similar, and perhaps more 
serious, visits. However, he decided that, be- 
cause of the seemingly well-founded warning 
received from Mr. Gunseyt, the latter was en- 
titled to all the information he could give. 

“I believe he’s the man you warned me 
about the other day,” replied Guy. 

Gunseyt looked more interested. 

“Who? — Lantry?” he asked. 

“Yes.” 

“I’m not surprised. I told you what kind 
of a fellow he was, didn’t I ? But I didn’t sup- 
pose he’d commit common burglary. I 
thought he was too brainy a villain for that.” 

“But you said he was a fog pirate.” 

“To be sure. That’s a far more intellect- 
ual occupation than burglary.” 

“Why?” 

^ “Because its safer. The most intellectual 
criminals in the world are the ones who com- 


81 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 

mit crimes in the safest manner. But, say! 
IVe got an idea.” 

“Yes?’ 

“Did your mother and you each have a key 
to your staterooms?” 

“Yes.” 

“Have you both got them now?” 

“I have mine.” 

“How about your mother?” 

“We never thought of that. I’ll go and find 
out.’ 

Guy found his mother and put the question 
to her. She thought rapidly a few moments, 
then replied; 

“No, I’m afraid I’ve lost it. Haven’t you 
got it?” 

“No,” the boy answered. “When did you 
have it last?” 

“Just before luncheon, I think. I left my 
key in the door on the outside, and we came 
out through your room.” 

“Then somebody stole your key. Of course, 
it was Watson. But maybe he left it in the 
lock — ^I didn’t notice— I’ll go and see.” 

Guy went to his mother’s room and found 
the key in the lock. Then he hurried back and 
reported his discovery. Soon afterward he 
met Gunseyt again and told him the latest 
development of the key mystery. 

“That explains the whole affair,” declared 


82 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

the man with the goatee. “Now, you see, 
my advice to look out for Watson was good 
advice, wasn’t it?” 

“Yes, it was,” admitted the boy. 

“Of course. I’m not in the habit of handing 
out poor advice. I’d rather keep my mouth 
shut. You’re sure you didn’t lose an^hing?” 

“Oh, there’s nothing missing, so far as we 
could discover.” 

“What all did he get into?” 

“Everything, it seemed. I suppose he was 
looking for money and didn’t care for anything 
else?” 

“Turned everything inside out and opened 
every bundle, box, and package in the room, 
eh?” 

“Pretty near,” said the boy, moved to the 
interest of detail by this suggestion. “It 
seemed he saw me coming and hurried away 
without putting things back as he found them. 
There was a box in my trunk, wrapped in 
paper. He took the paper off and tucked it 
under some of the other things when he found 
he had to leave in a hurry, I suppose.” 

“What was in the box?” asked Gunseyt, 
leaning back lazily on the sofa. 

“A pair of electric shoes I’m taking to New 
York as a present to a man from a friend of 
his in London. They’re supposed to cure 
rheumatism.” 


83 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 

“It would be an extraordinary thief who’d 
steal anything of that sort,” Gunseyt re- 
marked. 

“Yes, I guess he wasn’t much interested 
when he saw what was in the box. He could 
hardly be expected to know they were wireless 
shoes !” 

“Wireless shoes!” exclaimed the man. 
“That’s a good one. I thought you called them 
electric shoes.” 

“I did,” answered the boy. “I used that 
term because it might explain itself. Wire- 
less slipped off my tongue next in an un- 
guarded moment. I suppose I’ll have to give 
you a lecture now on perpetual electricity in 
order to make myself clear.” 

Guy now proceeded to explain the wireless 
theory of the rheumatic cure shoes, as it had 
been explained to him by Smithers. This he 
felt was no violation of confidence, as he had 
gathered from the Bond street jeweler that 
the idea could not be successfully stolen with- 
out a careful examination of the inclosed 
mechanism of the “radio footgear.” 

“That’s a great idea if it’ll work,” declared 
Gunseyt. “And even if it doesn’t work it’s 
interesting enough to be amusing. I’m going 
to come to your room and have a look at them 
before we get to New York if you don’t mind.” 


84 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE*, 

“Come any time I’m in,” was Guy’s invita- 
tion as he walked away. 

“I’ll be in tonight,” the man called out after 
him. 

All right; I’ll look for you,” returned the 
boy hospitably. 

True to his promise, Gunseyt called at Guy’s 
stateroom in the evening. The latter pro- 
duced the “wireless shoes” and the visitor ex- 
amined them with apparently deep interest. 
Mrs. Burton was present and! expressed a good 
deal of amusement over “such nonsense.” 
Gunseyt however, endeavored gently to argue 
her into a more serious view of the subject 

In the midst of this discussion came a 
knock on the door, followed by remarkable 
actions on the part of Gunseyt With rapid, 
nervous movements, he jammed the shoes, 
back into the box and laid it on a table in a 
remote comer of the room. 

Guy was astonished, Mrs. Burton also 
observed the act and wondered at it. The boy 
opened the door. 

The new caller was the large-featured man, 
Watson or Lantry. His appearance furnished 
a new surprise for Mrs. Burton and her son, 
for they had naturally presumed that he would 
be inclined to avoid them rather than seek 
their company after recent doings. 


85 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 

“Excuse me,” began the alleged “fog 
pirate,” “May I come in?” 

Watson, alias Lantry, or vice versa took the 
want of a denial for a permission and entered. 
Guy’s astonishment had momentarily deprived 
him of the power of speech. 

“I’ll explain my call in a few words,” an- 
nounced the newcomer in tones of no gentle- 
ness. “The captain says you’ve accused me of 
entering this room in your absence. I’m a 
good deal put out with this charge and come 
here to learn why you made it.” 

The boy’s answer came with confusion. 

“Well, I — ^I was certain it was you,” he re- 
plied. “ITie man I saw come out of mother’s 
room looked just like you.” 

“Is that your only reason for thinking it 
was me?” 

“Yes — ^no! I’m not at liberty to give you 
any other reason.” 

“Not at liberty! That’s funny. Do you 
realize the seriousness of making such a 
charge without being able to prove it? I 
thought better of you. Burton, than that. I 
refer you to the captain of this vessel, who 
knows me and will assure you that I am all 
right.” 

“If my son has made a mistake, he will 
make any amends in his power,” interposed 


86 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

Mrs. Burton. “It was an unfortunate affair 
and he became excited.” 

“Why didn’t the captain let us know I’d 
made a mistake when he heard my com- 
plaint?” asked Guy. 

“I don’t know. Who did you complain to ?” 

“The second mate.” 

“He told the captain, I suppose. You’ll 
hear from headquarters all right. Have 
you said anything to anybody but the second 
mate?” 

“Only the gentleman here, Mr. Gunseyt.” 

“I hope, sir, you don’t attach any credence 
to this boy’s mistake,” said Watson, turning 
to the first visitor. 

“I don’t attach any credence to any mis- 
take,” replied the other smartly. “This is no 
affair of mine, anyway, and I usually keep my 
z' mouth shut about other people’s business. 
Don’t let me give you any uneasiness.” 

“You misunderstood me, sir,” replied Wat- 
son haughtily. “I’m not in the least uneasy, 
rest assured of that.” 

“I’ll see the captain in the morning and if 
he tells me I’ve made a mistake, I’ll come and 
apologize to you,” Guy volunteered. “That’s 
fair, isn’t it?” 

“Quite fair. With that understanding, I’ll 
bid you goodnight.” 

Watson went out and closed the door, and 


87 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 

Guy turned to the first visitor, saying: 

“It must have been a mistake. He’s surely 
all right.” 

“You’d ’ave sworn he was the man that 
entered your room, wouldn’t you?” asked 
Gunseyt. 

“Almost. I was about as sure of it as I 
could be, I thought.” 

“Then don’t you let him buffalo you. He’s 
as smooth and clever as they make ’em. He’s 
a crook dyed in the wool, and I know it. But 
you’re not at liberty to repeat this, because I 
can’t prove it any more than you can prove 
that he entered your stateroom while you were 
out. You know now what it means to know 
something without being able to back it up 
with evidence. But it’s nothing to me. I’m 
only telling you this to put you on your guard.” 


CHAPTER X 

The Voice with the “Squeak and Roar.” 

Next morning Guy went to Captain Hard- 
ing and told him of the visit of Watson and 
the protest he had made. The master of the 
ship looked at the boy with a smile, half of 
concern, half of amusement, and replied: 

“You surely have made a mistake, young 
man. Fve known Mr. Watson for several 
years. He’s all right. I’ll give you my word 
as a man absolutely that he neither committed 
nor attempted to commit a burglary.” 

“I’m satisfied now that I did him an in- 
justice,” said Guy. “I’ll go and apoligize to 
him. But I wonder who the burglar could 
’ave been.” 

“If I get further information on the sub- 
ject, you’ll hear from me,” assured the captain. 
“We have a detective on board.” 

An hour later Guy found Watson in the 
smoking room and told him what the captain 
had said: 

“Fm sorry I made the mistake,” the boy 
88 


69 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 

added. “But if you knew how much that fellow 
looked like you — ’’ 

“So I’ve got a double on board, have I?” 
interrupted the man of the large features. 
“Well, I’d like to meet him for two reasons: 
one is because he got me into an unpleasant 
tangle, and the other is curiosity. If you meet 
him, catch onto his coat-tail and hold fast till 
I come.” 

“I don’t know about that,” laughed Guy. 
“I got into trouble over one mistake, and I 
don’t want to make another. I think I’ll let 
my burglar escape.” 

“What did my friend, Mr. Gunseyt, have to 
say after I left your stateroom last night?” 

“Nothing that would do you any good to 
hear.” 

“I infer from your answer that he didn’t 
say anything very complimentary about me.” 

“I can’t tell you anything he said. I prac- 
tically promised not to.” 

“But he told you that I was the burglar, 
didn’t he?” insisted Watson with a peculiar 
smile. 

“How do you know that?” 

“Oh, I know a good deal more than you 
suspect. He told you to look out for me and 
avoid me. He said I was a bad man and not 
a safe fellow to associate with. He informed 


90 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

you also that he and I didn’t meet for the first 
time on this steamer.” 

Guy was astonished.. Where had this man 
gathered his information. Had he been eaves- 
dropping? 

“You’ve got the best of me,” the boy ad- 
mitted. “How did you find all that out?” 

“Fm a student of psychology, phrenology, 
physiognomy, telepathy, and several other 
oligies and pathies in that category,” replied 
the man with a mysterious wink. “You know 
what that means, I suppose.” 

‘.‘Not very clearly, I am afraid,” admitted 
Guy. 

“No? You’re too young. But you’ll learn 
’em some day if you’re going to be a man of 
affairs. And I never studied them in books 
either. I know a little about some other 
things — criminology, human nature, and what 
certain kinds of men will do under certain 
circumstances and conditions.” 

Guy looked puzzled. Most of this was 
-Greek to him. Watson came to his rescue. 

“I know Mr. Gunseyt,” he said. 

“Are you personally acquainted with 
him?” 

“Yes and no. He thinks he knows me, but 
I know him a lot better.” 

“Where did you meet him?” 

“Where? Let me see. Fve almost for- 


91 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 

gotten, it’s been so long. In London, I guess.” 

‘‘How did he happen to make such an im- 
pression on you that you have to use a dic- 
tionary of jawbreakers to explain it?” 

“That’s an anthropocomical question, my 
boy, and requires an answer that I do not wish 
to give at present.” 

The man was becoming facetiously mys- 
terious again, and Guy grew impatient 

“I suppose next you’ll be advising me to 
avoid him,” suggested the latter. 

“Not at all. On the contrary, I’d be sorry 
to produce such an effect. He won’t do you 
any harm.” 

“Then he isn’t a bad man?” 

“Is there any reason why you should think 
so?” 

“No, I guess not.” 

Guy was more mystified than ever. Half 
an hour later he told his mother of the develop- 
ments of the morning, and she advised him to 
give Messrs. Watson and Gunseyt both a wide 
berth. 

“They may both be confidence men work- 
ink together, while they appear to be enemies,” 
she advised him. 

This suggestion startled the boy. It had 
not occurred to him before. However, a few 
moments’ thought caused him to reply: 

“I can’t believe it The captain said he 


92 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

knew absolutely that Watson was all right, 
and he wouldn’t have said that if he hadn’t 
known what he was talking about.” 

In spite of his mother’s advice, Guy could 
not resist the temptation to seek out Mr. Gun- 
seyt again and inform him what the captain 
had said about Mr. Watson. The “radio 
rogue” looked mildly surprised, screwed up 
one eye meditatively, and said: 

“Well, of course, there’s always possibility 
of a mistake, but I can’t believe there are two 
men in the world that look and act as much 
alike as Watson and Lantry. However, its 
nothing to me, and I hope, for your friend’s 
sake, I’m wrong.” 

“He’s no friend of mine,” assured the boy. 
“I never met him before and I don’t care if I 
never meet him again. I came near wishing I 
hadn’t met him at all.” 

The steamer was still plowing through cold 
northern waters and correspondingly cold at- 
mosphere. The passengers remained under 
cover most of the time after the ship left the 
Gulf Stream, for the weather was fitfully in- 
clement and the cabin walls were comfortable 
protection from cold and rain. For those who 
insisted on open-air exercise, the promenade 
deck afforded the best convenience. 

Guy was fond of open air, summer and win- 
ter. So he was seen frequently walking the 


93 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 

promenade. Usually he was not alone, for he 
found acquaintances readily. There were a 
number of boys in the first class passenger 
section who got together every day in the gym- 
nasium, or tennis or ball courts, and Guy was 
one of that number. Another, Carl Glennon, 
son of a Brooklyn lawyer, also was fond of 
the promenade, and he and Guy met frequent- 
ly. He had finished high school the year before 
and his father had given him his choice be- 
tween going to college and seeing the world. 
He had chosen the latter, with a view to tak- 
ing a business position after finishing his 
travels. 

On the afternoon of the fifth day out from 
Liverpool, Guy met Carl on the promenade, 
and the latter greeted him thus: 

“Hello, Burton. I hear somebody broke 
into your stateroom. Did he take anything?” 

“No. How did you hear anything about it?” 

“The burglar told me.” 

“What!” 

“I should have said the alleged and exon- 
erated burglar.” 

“Mr. Watson?” 

“Yes.” 

Glennon smiled at Guy’s bewilderment. 

“That’s funny,” the latter remarked. “I 
didn’t think he’d say anything about it.” 

“He seemed to take it as a joke.” 


94 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

“He did? He didn’t talk that way to me.” 

“No. He said he was pretty angry at first, 
but he got over it when he found out who put 
the suspicion into your mind.” 

“Nobody put the suspicion into my mind. 
I saw the man come out of mother’s stateroom 
and thought I recognized him. But who did 
Mr. Watson mean?” 

“A man named Gunseyt. You know him, I 
suppose.” 

“Yes, I know him in a way, about the same 
as I know you,” Guy explained. “I met him on 
the boat.” 

“So did I. Odd chap, isn’t he?” 

Meanwhile the boys made the course of the 
promenade once and doubled back, walking 
briskly and inhaling deep breaths of the keen 
air. Then they sat down on a bench near the 
open entrance of a sheltered comer. Neither 
spoke for several moments, and Guy had rea- 
son soon to be glad of their silence. 

Presently they heard voices inside and a 
familiar name was uttered in a manner that 
caused them to be all attention in an instant. 

“I tell you I know the fellow Watson,” said 
a voice that was strange to both listeners. 
“He’s a secret service man as sure as you’re a 
foot high.” 

“Did you ever meet him before?” inquired 
another voice, the sound of which almost 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 95 

caused Guy to leap from his seat. Glennon 
caught him by the sleeve and implored silence 
in a low whisper. The first speaker was re- 
plying: 

“No, but IVe seen him in court; Fve heard 
him testify. He’s an ocean ferret, spends most 
of his time on ocean liners. He’s hooked up 
several old pals of mine.” 

“Is his name Watson?” inquired the voice 
that had startled Guy. 

“You can bet it ain’t. He’s got a dozen 
names and two dozen disguises.” 

. “I’ve been suspecting him. I haven’t been 
asleep. Is he disguised now?” 

“In his dress and manner, yes. That’s one 
of the best disguises ever heard of. False 
whiskers and a wig ain’t in it. A good actor 
can change his personality so you’d never 
know him, even if one eye’s in his chin and 
the other’s in his forehead. This fellow’s 
togged up like an American merchant and car- 
ries himself like the owner of the world. Very 
sarcastic and snaps you up with a wise grin 
every time he gets a chance.” 

Guy had observed this peculiarity in Wat- 
son on some occasions, while on others it 
seemed entirely wanting. But if it was as- 
sumed with a purpose this variation was now 
explained. 

The conversation of the two men now 


96 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

dropped to an undertone and the boys were 
unable to hear any more. They strained their 
ears unsuccessfully several minutes ; then Guy 
arose and whispered to his companion: 

“Come on.” 

They stole softly away, and when at a safe 
distance, the younger boy said: 

“I know one of those men, Fm sure. I 
want to tell you about him an’ then go back and 
see what kind o’ looking fellow he is.” 

“If you know him, why don’t you know 
what kind o’ looking fellow he is?” inquired 
Glennon logically. 

“Because I never saw him, that is, I never 
had a good look at his face. The only time I 
ever saw him was in a London fog.” 

“Then how do you know you know him?” 

“I know his voice. He’s a fog pirate. He 
held up a friend and me a few weeks ago.” 

“You don’t say! Did he get much?” 

“Didn’t get anything. Another man hap- 
pened along as he was making us empty our 
pockets and knocked his gun out of his hand.” 

“Good! Did the fellow get away?” 

“Yes ; he bolted. But I remember his voice 
here. You’d remember it a hundred years, 
wouldn’t you ? The boy who was held up with 
me called it a half-squeak, half-roar.” 

“He hit it pretty good, if this is the fellow,” 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


97 


nodded Glennon. “What’re you going to do 
about it?” 

“Ohj nothing. Fve just got a curiosity to 
see what kind of looking ^y he is. Let’s go 
back now and walk in just as if we were 
happening that way.” 

•nie boys turned and retraced their steps 
to the shelter. On entering the place, Guy 
looked eagerly for a view of the man with the 
familiar voice but he was unrewarded. 

The place was empty. 


CHAPTER XI 
“The Ship Is Sinking!” 

“Why, they’re gone ! Where did they go so 
sudden !” 

Guy gazed helplessly at his companion. 
Glennon looked sharply here and there and 
along the promenade, while the other boy con- 
tinued: 

“They didn’t have time to get out o’ sight 
so quick. They must be hiding near.” 

“I guess not,” said the older boy quietly. 
“No place to hide around here. They probably 
dodged into the smoker or cafe. 

“That’s it,” agreed Burton, rushing out 

He led the way into the cafe, whose en- 
trance was near the shelter. Inside, however, 
he stopped short with a look of disgust and 
said in a low tone to Glennon: 

“There’s a dozen men in here and probably 
as many more in the smoker. I don’t know how 
I’m going to pick him out unless I hear him 
talk.” 

“Yes, you’re probably up against it,” agreed 

98 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


99 


Glennon. think your fog pirate’s escaped 
you.” 

“Well, anyway, I’m going to have a good 
look at the face of every one in here.” 

The inspection in the cafe was soon finish- 
ed, and then the boys passed into the smoker. 
There were eight men in this room, and one of 
them was an acquaintance of the boys, Mr. 
Gunseyt. 

The younger “fog-pirate” hunter was a 
little startled at coming so unexpectedly upon 
this man under the circumstances, but after 
the first thrill of surprise, he dismissed as 
ridiculous the vague suspicion that came to 
him. Why shouldn’t the “wireless passenger” 
be here as well as anywhere else? He was 
ubiquitous, as well as “all- wise” and “acquaint- 
ed with everybody.” 

“Hello, boys,” he called as the two entered 
the smoker. “"V^ere you going? You look as 
if you’re looking for somebody.” 

“We are,” answered Guy, approaching the 
man and speaking in tones intended only for 
Gunseyt. 

“Who is it? — another burglar?” 

“Not exactly. It’s the fog pirate this time.” 

“You don’t say! He hasn’t been perform- 
ing any more deeds of the mist, has he?” 

“If you mean Mr. Watson, no. He surely 


1 00 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

isn’t the man this time. I recognized his 
voice.” 

“You did? What does he look like?” 

“That’s the trouble — didn’t see him. I 
heard him talk, and he had the same old voice, 
that squeaky roar. He was vdth another man, 
and they came in here, we think. You didn’t 
see them, did you?” 

“I don’t know,” replied Gunseyt inconse- 
quentially. “just came in myself I thought I 
saw one or two men enter the cafe a few 
minutes ago, but I guess they passed through. 
Ask the waiters.” 

“I guess it isn’t worth while,” said Guy to 
his companion as he and Glennon walked 
away. “I’ve lost my man, and I may as well 
give up. They probably heard or saw us while 
we were listening and ducked when we left. 
If that’s the case, they wouldn’t be likely to 
stop here.” 

Glennon was not sufficiently interested to 
urge further search, and Guy proposed that 
they play a set in the tennis courts. The older 
boy agreed and went to his stateroom for his 
racket. Guy had none and applied for one 
belonging to the steamer. 

“This is a peach of a racket,” Carl remark- 
ed as he returned with the object thus referred 
to. “It was given to me by a man in London. 
He must have paid a fancy price for it. Your 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


101 


friend Gunseyt nearly had a fit over it yester- 
day.” 

“It must be a dandy to affect him so,” said 
Guy, examining the object of interest. “He 
seldom reaches the boiling over anything.” 

“Oh, it wasn’t as bad as that. I didn’t 
mean he kicked the deck overhead. But he 
said I was mighty lucky to have a friend like 
Smithers.” 

“Smithers! Who’s he?” 

“The man who gave me the racket.” 

“In London?” 

“Yes.” 

“I met a man of that name there. He’s 
the one that rescued me and a friend from the 
fog pirate. He’s a jeweler.” 

“So’s this one,” exclaimed Carl. “They 
must be the same man. Did your man have a 
store in Bond street?” 

“Yes.” 

“What kind o’ looking fellow was he? — 
kind o’ stout with sharp, black eyes?” 

“That’s him,” said Guy eagerly. “It’s a 
wonder I didn’t meet you with him or hear 
him speak about you. He told me all about 
himself and his friends, I thought. Were you 
with him much?” 

“Quite a good deal. We took several motor 
rides together.” 

“So did we.” 


1 02 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 


“And he didn’t give you a racket?” 

“No.” 

“Nor anything else?” 

“No.” 

**1 got the idea that he was fond of giving 
presents to his friends.” 

“I guess he is, but I suppose I wasn’t a 
good enough friend. He gave me a present 
to take to a friend of his in New York.” 

“What was it — a tennis racket?” 

“No, a pair of wireless shoes.” 

“Wireless shoes!” Glennon exclaimed with 
a laugh of surprise. “Well that’s a good one. 
I bet I know what he did that for. The fel- 
low you’re to turn them over to is a sprinter, 
and the shoes are intended to make him sprint 
faster.” 

“No, you’re mistaken. They’re not 
sprinting shoes; they’re intended to cure 
rheumatism.” 

“Quite an idea. Let’s see, how do they 
work? Probably with induction coil and an- 
tennae concealed somewhere — eh?” 

“How in the world do you know that?” Guy 
demanded in astonishment. 

“Oh, I’m a radio enthusiast,” Glennon re- 
plied. “I’ve got a set at home and what the 
neighbors call a set of wire clothesline be- 
tween our house and the garage. Besides, 
I’ve had some wireless experience with this 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


103 


fellow Smithers. This racket he gave me is 
a wireless racket.’’ 

“You don’t say!” exclaimed Guy. “How 
does it work?” 

“Very simply. Some of the strings, if you’ll 
observe closely are of wire. They constitute 
the antennae. In the handle is an induction 
coil. The circuit is closed when I grip the 
handle over two electrodes on either side.” 

“What did Smithers give it to you for — 
rheumatism?” inquired Guy with a look of 
curious amusement. 

“No, to put pep into my drives, “ answered 
Glennon. 

“And mystery into your curves?” 

“I suppose so.” 

“Does it do what it is supposed to do?” 

“Not that I’ve been able to notice,” said 
Glennon. “Still it’s a dandy racket, and I’ll 
take good care of it. I really can play better 
with it than with any other racket I’ve ever 
had in my hand. Maybe there’s something of 
a wireless charm in it after all.” 

The boys played two sets and then found 
it was supper time. So they went to their 
staterooms to get ready for the meal. In the 
dining room Guy and his mother met Gunseyt, 
who sat down beside the boy and inquired: 

“Well, did you find your fog pirate?” 

“No, but I’ve found out who Mr. Watson 


1 04 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

is,” replied Guy as he picked up a menu card 
and looked at it hungrily. 

“You have! Who is he?” 

“You don’t say! Who told you?” 

“A friend of the fog pirate.” 

“Then you did find him.” 

“No, I overheard their conversation. They 
were talking about Mr. Watson.” 

“They said he was a detective?” 

“One of them did.” 

“Where from — England?” 

“I don’t think so. The voice I heard called 
him a secret service man. I thought he meant 
an American.” 

“What’s he doing here,” inquired Gunseyt, 
lapsing into a matter-of-fact manner. 

“I don’t know. The man didn’t say.” 

“Well,” admitted Gunseyt; “of course, I 
might have been mistaken in my recognition of 
Lantry, or Watson. No man should be cock- 
sure about anything. But the man who 
thought he recognized him as a detective 
might be mistaken too. So, you see there you 
are. But there’s a bit of evidence on my side 
that he hasn’t got on his. You saw Watson 
come out of your stateroom and found he’d 
been ransacking your trunks. 

“Yes— but-” 

“But what?” 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


105 


“If he’s a detective — ” 

“Yes?” 

“ — ^he might ’a’ thought I was a thief and 
been looking for stolen property.” 

“Ha, ha, ha!” laughed Gunse;^. “What an 
imagination you’ve got! But you imagine such 
impossible things.” 

“Perhaps I do,” smiled the boy. “I certain- 
ly hope it’s impossible for me to be a thief.” 

“I think you’ve been reading too many de- 
tective stories,” interposed Mrs. Burton, who 
had been listening to this conversation with 
more or less impatience. “I wish you could 
find something to talk about that would be 
more interesting to me.” 

“I should think this subject would be ex- 
citing enough to interest anybody,” said Gun- 
seyt with a smile. 

“It might be if there were much evidence 
of truth in it,” the woman replied with a mock 
air of wisdom. “The trouble is you both know 
only a little of what you’re talking about,^ and 
you supply the rest with your imagination. 
You’d make good reporters for yellow news- 
papers.” 

A waiter now came for their orders, and 
the conversation was interrupted. After he 
had left them, Mr. Gunseyt changed the sub- 
ject by saying: 

“We’re nearing our journey’s end. We’ll 


: 06 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 


be in New York day after tomorrow. I sup- 
pose you’re glad of it.” 

“Yes and no,” replied the boy slowly. “I 
like the trip; I think it’s great, but I’m a 
little homesick.” 

“Not many boys will admit they’re home- 
sick until they have to,” observed Gunseyt. 
“They’re usually too proud.” 

*Tm past that age,” assured Guy. 

“How old are you — ^seventeen?” 

“No — sixteen, goin’ on seventeen, you 
know.” 

“Yes,” laughed Gunseyt. “I don’t want to 
flatter your son to such an extent as to spoil 
him, Mrs. Burton,” he continued, addressing 
Gu/s mother; “But he’s bright enough to be 
twenty.” 

“He takes after his mother,” she returned 
smartly. 

“I wish I’d taken the southern route,” said 
Gunseyt, changing the subject again. “I don’t 
like being cooped up inside all the time.” 

“Same here,” agreed Guy. “The only ad- 
vantage of this route is the saving of a little 
time.” 

“They tell me we’re getting in the neigh- 
borhood of icebergs,” the “radio passenger” 
continued. 

“The wireless operator told me we ought 
to see some icebergs by to-morrow morning,” 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


107 

the boy said. “He’s been getting messages 
from other ships going east all afternoon, and 
they told him there was lots of ice west of us.” 

“I hope we don’t strike an iceberg as the 
Titanic did,” Mrs. Burton remarked. 

“No danger of that,” was Gunseyt’s re- 
assurance. “This boat is well piloted and sup- 
plied with searchlights. One experience like 
that is enough to insure the greatest caution 
in vessels like this for a hundred years.” 

Guy and his mother retired early that night. 
Both were tired, as they had been up late every 
night of the voyage thus far. ^ Moreover, life 
on an ocean liner had lost some of its novelty 
for them, and they were disposed by this time 
to look upon the experience almost in a mat- 
ter-of-fact manner. And matter-of-fact 
people usually go to bed at reasonable hours. 

Guy awoke shortly before midnight. The 
time he learned later, as there was reason for 
its being registered in the minds of others. The 
awakening was not an ordinary one, for it 
came with a jar that shook him heavily, though 
not with great violence. For a minute or two 
he lay awake, wondering what it could mean. 
He was sure he had not been dreaming. He 
had no recollection of a dream. 

But he was still sleepy and ceased to won- 
der as he drifted back into unconsciousness. 
How long afterward he was aroused again, he 


1 08 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

could not tell, but this time his awakening was 
decidedly more startling. 

Some one was pounding heavily at the 
door. Guy listened a few moments with thrills 
of dread at the words that came with the 
knocking, and then fairly leaped out of his 
bunk. 

“Get up and get out o’ there as quick as 
you can! The ship’s sinking!” was the fear- 
ful warning that came loudly through the 
panel of the stateroom door. 


CHAPTER XII 
The Wreck. 

Mrs. Burton, also awakened by the alarm, 
was out of bed almost as soon as her son. The 
latter threw open the door between their 
rooms and called out to his mother, who re- 
plied that she was dressing. Hurriedly the 
boy drew on a few articles of clothing, and 
then turned to the electric button to “push” 
on the light. The button “pushed” all right, 
but the room remained dark. 

“Put on the light, Guy,” said Mrs. Burton 
in strange, hollow tones. Evidently she was 
laboring under a dreadful emotion. 

Guy tried again. He pushed the “off” but- 
ton and the “on” again, but without success. 

“It won’t work, mother,” he said. “Some- 
thing’s wrong with the current.” 

At this moment there was another heavy 
knocking at the door and a voice called: 

“Hey, Burton! Are you getting out? 
Hurry up; the ship’s filling with water. This 
is Gunseyt.” 

Guy flung the door open, and the knocker 
entered. 


109 


1 1 0 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

“Are you about ready?” inquired the latter. 
“Hurry up and I’ll help get your mother in a 
lifeboat.” 

“A lifeboat!” cried Mrs. Burton. 

“Oh, there’s no immediate danger,” re- 
plied Gunseyt reassuringly. “The ship’ll prob- 
ably sink, but not for some time yet. Every- 
body’ll be saved. Got any valuables you want 
to take along?” 

“I don’t know,” said Guy in some confu- 
sion. “We didn’t bring anything very valu- 
able with us, did we, mother?” 

“Throw open your trunks and look your 
things over in a hurry,” suggested Gunseyt. 
“I’ll help you carry anything you want to the 
boat. I’ll strike some matches and hold a 
light.” 

“You’re very kind,” said Guy apprecia- 
tively, as he opened his mother’s trunk and his 
own, they being unlocked. 

“Turn everything out,” continued Gun- 
seyt, striking a match and holding it for a 
torch. “Take only a few of your most valu- 
able things or keepsakes. There won’t b^ 
room for much in the boat. Here, what’s 
this?” 

“Only those ‘wirelsse shoes’ I showed you,” 
replied the boy. “‘Don’t bother with them.” 

“It’s too bad to let a present like that go 
to the bottom. If you haven’t got too much 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


III 


to lug, you might take ’em out of the box and 
stick ’em in your pocket. Or I’ll take care of 
them for you. All I’ve got is an overcoat, 
It’ll be cold in the boat.” 

“I’ll take my rubber coat,” said Guy. 
“Mother, you take your raincoat and muff 
and a scarf for your head.” 

Guy observed in the light of Mr. Gunseyt’s 
matches that the latter wore a life jacket 
under his unbuttoned overcoat, and this ob- 
servation enlivened him to the full seriousness 
of the situation. But he kept. his head, lest 
he throw his mother into a panic, and quietly 
took down two cork jackets hanging from 
pegs on the wall. One he fastened around 
himself and the other he carried in his hand, 
intending to slip it on his mother when he 
found opportunity to do so without alarming 
her too much. 

Mrs. Burton remained silent most of the 
time, working energetically and courageous- 
ly with her son, while Gunseyt held lighted 
matches over them. Presently the vessel be- 
gan to list perceptibly, warning them not to 
waste any more time. Then something else 
happened that added a wilder confusion to the 
critical conditions. 

Hitherto the helper of Guy and his mother 
appeared to be inspired not only with great 
generosity, but with remarkable courage. Al- 


1 1 2 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

though he had urged the woman and her son 
to make haste, his voice and manner had been 
steady and reassuring. For this the boy was 
thankful. He was certain that he would not 
lose control of himself under any circum- 
stances, but feared lest his mother become 
panic stricken. 

With the lurching of the ship, however, 
the “brave” Mr. Gunseyt was the first to show 
signs of consternation. A cry of alarm es- 
caped him, and he turned and ran from the 
stateroom, shouting back to the others: 

“Come on — quick — ^to the boats ! No time 
to lose!” 

Guy and his mother followed, the former 
carrying his rubber coat and a life jacket for 
his mother and the latter wearing her mack- 
intosh and muff and a scarf around her head. 
Outside the stateroom, they found their way 
lighted with a few lanterns that had been sub- 
stituted for electric bulbs, whose current was 
now dead. Gunseyt was twenty feet ahead, 
making with his best speed for the exit to the 
outer deck. In one hand he carried the box 
of “wireless shoes” and in the other a tennis 
racket. 

“He must be crazy,” Guy said to himself. 
“That explains his strange actions. Otherwise 
he would have waited to help me get mother to 
a boat.” 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


113 


But it was hard for the boy to remain con- 
vinced of this interpretation. Gunseyt had 
not appeared to be the sort of person at all 
likely to lose his mental poise under any cir- 
cumstances, however severe. Indeed, he had 
seemed to possess unusual nerve. What, then, 
could be the explanation of his present ac- 
tions? 

The question seemed unanswerable. As 
he ran, the man put the racket under one arm, 
opened the box, took out the shoes, threw the 
box away, and pushed the “radio footgear” in- 
to his overcoat pockets. Then he disappeared 
through the cabin exit. 

When Guy and his mother reached the 
open deck, their late would-be helper had dis- 
appeared. But other matters of more press- 
ing importance were before them just now, 
and they dismissed him from their minds. 
They started to run aft in the hope of find- 
ing someone who could tell them what to do, 
when a passenger rushed past them, crying: 

“No boats here. Burton — top deck.” 

It was Glennon. He recognized Guy at a 
glance and tossed him the information as he 
would toss a life buoy to a drowning man. 
Then, realizing his passenger friend’s predica- 
ment, he stopped and said: 

“Hello, is this your mother. Burton? Let 
me help you.” 


1 1 4 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

Without waiting for uttered consent, Carl 
Glennon seized Mrs. Button by one arm^ and 
together the two boys almost lifted her over 
the carpeted deck to the stairway and up to 
the boat deck. There they found two or three 
hundred men assembled in the stern and 
watching a boat as it was about to be lowered 
into the water. 

Glennon appreciated the situation at a 
glance. It was the last boat in this quarter 
and possibly the only opportunity for saving 
Guy’s mother. Several seaman were man- 
ning the block and tackle and were about to 
lower away, when a voice called out: 

“Wait, haven’t you room for one more 
woman?” It was Carl who spoke. 

“All full,” shouted back a seaman. “Heave 
away.” 

“No, for God’s sake, don’t do that,” in- 
sisted Guy’s friend. “You’ve put all the 
other women in boats. Don’t leave Jthis one 
to perish alone.” 

Glennon was mistaken in this regard, but 
he believed it was true. The appeal was ef- 
fective. There was general hesitation. The 
ropes were slackened. Then one of the few 
men whose lot it had been to enter the boat 
rose to his feet and stepped out. He said not 
a word, but waived the woman to his place. 
It was Watson^ the secret service operative. 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 1 1 5 

Guy could hardly restrain a sob at the un- 
selfishness of the man, in view of the criminal 
charge the woman’s son had made against 
him. But Mrs. Burton was not disposed to 
submit tamely to the substitution when she 
saw Guy was not going to follow her into the 
boat. She thanked Watson profusely for his 
kindness and begged him to return to his 
place, as she could not think of going without 
her son. 

But the operative’s generosity was not 
half-hearted. Instead ’ of accepting this as 
final, he approached the woman and said: 

“Don’t be foolish, Mrs. Burton. Your son 
can get along much better without you. If 
you stay here, you may be the cause of your 
both being drowend. If he’s alone, he will 
probably be able to save himself.” 

This was an argument that could not be 
gainsaid, and Mrs. Burton kissed Guy affec- 
tionately and was assisted into the boat, which 
was so full of passengers that there was little 
comfort for any. 

“I’ll be all right,” Guy assured his mother. 
“I’m a good swimmer if it comes to that, and, 
besides. I’ve got this cork jacket on. Here’s 
one for you. Take it and put it on, though 
probably won’t need it. We’ll probably find 
something to float on before the ship goes 
down. There ought to be a lot of rafts here 
somewhere.” 


1 1 6 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

While the boat was being lowered, the 
boy’s gaze followed his mother with an ap- 
pearance of more courage and confidence than 
he felt As it touched the water Carl laid a 
hand on his shoulder and said: 

“Come on, Burton. We’ve got to get busy. 
We don’t want to depend on our life jackets to 
save us in that cold water.” 

A dozen men were calling down to wife or 
daughter or other relative or friend in the 
boat, and Guy was unable to make his voice 
reach his mother intelligibly. So he waived 
his hand to her and turned to follow Glennon 
and Watson. 

This was not an occasion for much detailed 
observation of surroundings, but there were 
certain conditions and circumstances that im- 
pressed themselves on Guy’s mind so indelibly 
that he may never forget them. It was a clear 
cold night. There was no moon, but the stars 
shone brightly. The ship was listing heavily 
to starboard and many of the passengers were 
moving nervously here and there in the hope 
of finding a boat or raft not yet launched. The 
forward end of the vessel was sinking rapid- 
ly. Fortunately few women and children 
were left on the ship, so that there was little 
individual helplessness to hamper the most 
hopeful activites under the circumstances. 

Apparently everybody still on the sinking 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


117 


vessel was now on the boat deck. The first 
few boats that were launched had been loaded 
from the promenade, but as the ship sunk 
lower there was a general migration to the 
boat deck. There it soon became evident that 
although the liner had been equipped with 
enough lifeboats and rafts for an emergency 
of this kind, yet half the boats were useless 
because the listing of the vessel rendered it 
impossible to lower them. 

Naturally, in spite of the imminent danger 
that confronted all on board there was a good 
deal of curiosity as to the cause of the sink- 
ing of the Herculanea. At first it appeared to 
be another Titanic disaster, for near the ship 
loomed a monster iceberg, so immense, indeed, 
that it appeared more like a “mainland of ice” 
than an island of frozen water.” The word 
was circulated among the passengers that the 
liner had struck a submerged projection of 
this huge berg. 

But Guy heard this report positively con- 
tradicted by one of the officers, who declared 
that an explosion had opened a great gap in the 
steamer below the water line. This officer 
expressed the opinion that the vessel had 
struck a floating mine probably laid by a 
German submarine after the United States 
declared war. 

Although there was general good order on 


1 1 8 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 


board, one could not help seeing that the feel- 
ing everywhere was tense, and little more 
would be required to create a panic. The cap- 
tain stood on the bridge, issuing orders 
through a megaphone. He exhorted the pas- 
sengers to preserve order for their own sake. 
The throbbing of the big engines had ceased, 
but all the mechanical power had not been 
killed, for one or more of the dynamos still 
worked supplying electric current to some of 
the lighting wires and to the wireless ap- 
paratus. From an open window of the radio 
house came the thrilling sounds of the current 
leaping the spark gap and eager high pitched 
voices. Ever since the fatal blow doomed the 
steamer to a watery grave, the operator had 
been flashing a continuous stream of distress 
messages. And this he continued to do as 
long as the electric current lasted. Mean- 
while assurance was passed among the ra- 
maining passengers that a liner had caught 
the Herculanea’s ‘‘S. 0. S.” and was racing to 
the rescue. But nobody could dodge the fear- 
ful importance of this question— Would she 
arrive before the sinking steamer went down? 

“Are all the boats gone?” inquired Guy, 
as he and Carl Watson turned to look about 
them for some means of escape from the doom 
that seemed to be theirs. 

“Your mother was the last person to enter 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


119 


the last boat,” replied Watson solemnly. 

“Thanks to your great generosity,” said 
Guy, scarcely able to control his emotion of 
gratefulness. 

“Look down there.” interrupted Carl, 
pointing toward the after end of the main 
deck. “Those fellows seem to have found a 
supply of rafts. Let’s go down and see what’s 
doing.” 

“That’s a good idea,” said Watson, ‘^his 
vessel is going to sink head down, and the far- 
ther toward the stern we can get, the safer 
we’ll be, even though we’re on the lowest 
deck.” 

“We may be caught in a trap if we go down 
an inside stairway,” Guy suggested. 

“No danger of that yet,” replied Watson. 
“The ship isn’t going to sink for another half 
hour. Come on. Even if we have to jump in- 
to the sea, that’s the best place to jump from 
because it’s the lowest.” 

They ran through an entrance and down 
the nearest stairway. The cabin rooms were 
deserted. One could almost believe, save for 
the listing of the ship that the vessel was tied 
up at a dock and resting after a long cruise. 
Down on the main deck near the elevator Guy 
observed a solitary figure seated on a cush- 
ioned bench. An incandescent bulb was 


1 20 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

burning a few feet away, and Guy recognized 
the man. It was Gunseyt. 

The boy almost gasped for breath; then 
quickly remembered his recent suspicion that 
this strangely acting passenger was insane. 
Now he was fully convinced of the truth of 
his suspicion, for the fellow seemed to have 
no interest in saving himself. On the bench 
beside him, Guy beheld the “wireless shoes” 
that Gunseyt had taken from the boy’s room, 
and in his hands he held the tennis racket that 
Guy had seen in his possession as the fellow 
was deserting him and his mother. Even as 
young Burton gazed at him, this remarkable 
man strained the handle of the racket across 
one knee and broke it. 

Attributing this act to nothing more than 
the giddy working of a disordered mind, Guy 
hastened on after his companions. As they 
passed out onto the open deck, they were 
greeted by a heavy roaring sound, like a 
mighty clap of thunder, only it came not from 
the sky, but from the hold of the ship. Every 
beam seemed to be shaken loose, and the great 
vessel trembled as with a terrible convulsion. 

“We’re going down — ^the boilers have ex- 
ploded — ^we’re going down!” screamed a 
terror-stricken passenger, as he rushed to the 
side of the ship and leaped overboard. 

Panic followed. 


CHAPTER XIII 

s. o. s. 


Meanwhile the other “wireless twin” was 
not asleep even though it was after midnight. 
Back in Ferncliffe, Walter Burton was a very 
busy boy. 

He and Tony had been enterprisingly in- 
dustrious during Guy’s absence. Tony had 
made a diligent study of wireless telegraphy 
and was already showing promise of early 
proficiency, as he was naturally quick. W alter 
had received several letters from Guy, and 
these were all long and full of interesting de- 
tail. The boy on the other side of the Atlantic 
told all about his doings in London, the ac- 
quaintances he made, and the sights he saw. 
He devoted pages to a description of how he 
and Artie Fletcher “saw London in a fog,” 
and this letter was followed by other lengthy 
ones, telling of his association with Smithers 
and the hotel clerk. He described these two 
characters so minutely that Walter and Tony 
received clear mental pictures of them. 

“Save these letters,” Guy requested in his 
121 


1 22 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE 

second long writing to his brother. “Fm tell- 
ing you everything because I don’t want to 
forget anything. I’m going to claim these 
letters as my own property when I get back, 
if you don’t object. You won’t care nearly so 
much for them as I do.” 

The last letter informed Walter and his 
father that Guy and his mother would return 
on the Herculanea. It contained information 
also as to the day they would start and the ex- 
pected time of reaching New York. 

About a week before Guy and Mrs. Burton 
started on their return, the last of the winter 
snows at Ferncliffe melted and spring weather 
arrived. Although the coast was still 
dangerous, Walter and Tony got the motor 
yacht in condition for a trip as soon as the 
weather became sufficiently settled for safety. 
The craft was inspected and overhauled from 
stem to stem, and with Mr. Burton’s consent, 
the gasoline tanks were filled. Walter also 
tranrferred one of the wireless apparatus to 
the deck house, extending several wires be- 
tween the fore and aft service masts for an 
aerial. 

“We’ll have everything ready for a little 
cruise when Guy gets back,” he said to Tony 
as they worked and discussed their plans. 

After all the preparations were completed, 
Walter suggested to Det Teller that they make 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


123 


a run out of the harbor, as the sea was calm 
and there seemed to be a promise of pleasant 
weather; but the sailor-farmer objected. 

“This boat doesn’t stir out of this place 
until your father gets back,” he said very de- 
cidedly. “When he says ‘go’, we go, but not 
until” 

That settled it, and Walter realized that he 
had made a foolish suggestion. Mr. Burton 
had been called to New York on business the 
day before and would remain there to meet 
his wife and Guy on their arrival from Eu- 
rope. Walter and Tony were therefore left 
alone in the house, as Jetta was staying with 
Mrs. Teller during her mother’s absence. 
Sometimes the boys ate at Mrs. Teller’s table 
and sometimes at Tony’s home. 

Naturally they ran things pretty much 
their own way when they found themselves 
sole occupants of the house. Fortunately they 
were even tempered youth, and “their own 
way” proved to be fairly sane, so that they did 
not break the windows or l3urn the house 
down. But they had a good time after boy’s 
fashion, reading, playing games, talking wire- 
less, and going to bed when they were too 
tired and sleepy to stay up longer. 

In this latter respect they violated long 
established tradition. They had learned that 
night is the best time for sending and receiv- 


1 24 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 


ing radio messages, as the atmospheric condi- 
tions are then most favorable for the trans- 
mission of electric waves, and they applied 
this information to practice. The first night 
they were alone they stayed up Uuiil 10:30 
o’clock, the second night until after 11, and 
the third — ^well, they were up until after mid- 
night and then something happened that 
drove sleep from their minds till the next suc- 
ceeding sunset. 

After supper on this eventful night, Wal- 
ter went to the yacht and Tony went to the 
attic “den,” and, seated at their respective 
wireless tables, they practiced sending and 
receiving for two or three hours. Tony, of 
course, was still very slow, but he managed 
to spell out his words with reasonable ac- 
curacy, and as Walter sent his messages in a 
leisurely manner, they did very well. One of 
the observations sent by Walter across the 
spark gap in the course of their exchange of 
wireless witticisms was the following: 

“Ben Franklin contradicted himself by 
discovering a spark-gap in the sky and giving 
that ‘early to bed, early to rise,’ advice.” 

“Why?” Tony dot-and-dashed back. 

“Because you have to stay up late to wire- 
,less well,” Walter replied. 

Shortly after ten o’clock he sent the fol- 
lowing message to Tony: 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 1 25 

“Come here.” 

“Repeat,” requested the boy at the shore 
station, who read the message but was in 
doubt a^o whether he had read it correct- 
ly. ^ 

“Come here.” Walter flashed again. 

“Why?” 

“Some fun here.” 

Tony hastened to obey the summons. 

He was soon abroad the boat, which was 
tied up at the wharf, and eagerly hastened 
to the deck house to And out what the fun 
was. Walter was sittiing at the table with 
the receivers at his ears and his hand on the 
key. Observing that he was busy, Tony said 
nothing, but waited. The varying expression 
on the operator’s face indicated an interesting 
conversation with someone. 

Tony watched and listened attentively and 
caught enough of his friend’s messages to un- 
derstand that the latter was engaged in a 
lively repartee with another operator. Pres- 
ently Walter found an opportunity to ex- 
plain. 

“I’ve got an operator on a big yacht, I 
think,” he said. “He was casting around for 
someone to talk to and picked me up. He 
started by calling me an undampt landlubber, 
and I called him a vacuum amplifier.” 

“What’s a vacuum amplifier?” interrupted 


126 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

Tony, who knew little of the technique of wire- 
less. 

“Its a radio monstrosity,” Walter replied. 
“When you make a study of the science of 
wireless, you’ll learn that the vacuum tube 
amplifier is an important instrument for in- 
creasing the volume of wave impulse at the 
receiving end. I left out the tube and called 
him a vacuum amplifier, meaning that he 
increased the volume of nothing. He came 
back weakly by calling me a vacuum detector, 
playing on the idea of a vacuum det^tive. 
That gave me just my opening for a good 
punch and I flashed back that I had detected 
him as the emptiest vacuum tube this side of 
a minus quantity.” 

“Wow!” broke in Tony again. “Did that 
silence him?” 

“Not yet,” answered Walter. “He called 
me an alternating current of sky juice and I 
shot back that he was an interrupted goose- 
berry—” 

“Ha, ha, ha,” laughed Tony, “I’ll bet he quit 
then.” 

“Yes, he did. But here he is again.” 

“Hello there, kindergarten,” was the next 
greeting from the revived radio banterer. 
“How far away are you from me?” 

“How should I know?” flashed back the 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 1 2 7 

young amateur. “But I can make a better 
guess than you can.” 

“I bet you a spark gap you can’t.” 

“That’s just like you — always dealing in 
nothing,” retorted Walter. “I bet you a 
vacuum cleaner I can.” 

“It’s a go, Smarty.” 

“All right, Empty,” agreed Walter. “How 
for apart are we?” 

“Three miles.” 

“I say ten. Where are you?” 

“Two miles off Rookery Point.” 

‘T vin. You’re twelve miles from me. I’m 
near Femcliffe. You owe me an empty glass.” 

“I’ll be generous and put something in it. 
What’ll you have?” 

“Make it a gooseberry phosphate.” 

“All right but you must furnish the sugar. 
It costs too much now.” 

“You’re a cheap skate. When you die, 
your folks will go gooseburying.” 

“Goodby, kindergarten,” interrupted the 
twice defeated wireless wit. “Your ma wants 
you to go to bed.” 

“There’s a lot doing in the air tonight, 
“Walter announced presently, turning to his 
friend. I’m going to see what I can pick up. 
Most of it is big wave length. I’m going to 
tune up to it and see what’s doing. You may 


1 28 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

listen in some of the time if you want to, 
Tony.” 

“You go ahead,” said the latter. “You can 
read faster than I can. Tell me what’s doing 
whenever there’s anything interesting.” 

Meanwhile Walter’s left hand was pressing 
the left receiver, while his right hand was 
busy with the three-slide tuning coil. Pres- 
ently he appeared to satisfied with the 
adjustment, for he transfered his right hand 
from the instrument to the right ear piece and 
pressed both pieces hard against his ears. 

And there was good reason for this sudden 
eagerness of attitude on his part. 

“Oh, Tony,” the radio eavesdropper ex- 
claimed after a few moments of rapt at- 
tention. “It’s two liners talking together, and 
one of them’s the Herculanea, the ship 
mother and Guy are on.” 

“What!” shouted the astonished Tony. 

“Yes, it’s true. I spelled the name Hercu- 
lanea as clear as can be. Keep still now.” 

There was silence again for a minute or 
two while Walter strained every listening 
nerve to catch the dots and dashes in the re- 
ceivers. Then he said : 

“Yes, its the Herculanea. I didn’t catch 
the name of the other liner, but it’s warning 
the Herculanea to look out for icebergs.” 

“They must be way up north,” said Tony. 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 1 29 

“Yes, keep still. They’re talking again.” 

Walter was an intent listener again for 
five minutes. Then he took a pencil from his 
pocket and wrote several figures on a paper 
tab lying on the table. Presently he looked 
up at his friend and said: 

“Tony, get me that chart of the north At- 
lantic in the chart case. I’ve got the location 
of the icebergs, and maybe I’ll get the loca- 
tion of the Herculanea. I want to follow it if 
I can. I want to place the steamer on the 
chart and follow it as long as I get messages 
from it.” 

Tony dashed into the pilot house and soon 
returned with the desired chart, laying it on 
the table before Walter. 

“There’s where the icebergs are,” said the 
young operator, eagerly indicating with his 
finger; “not far from Sable Island, two hun- 
dred miles or more from Halifax.” 

“That’s more’n four hundred miles from 
here, isn’t it?” said Tony. “Where’s the Her- 
culanea?” 

“I don’t know. I haven’t found that out 
yet.” 

Walter continued to listen in silence for 
some time, eagerly hoping to catch the loca- 
tion of the vessel, but he was disappointed. 
She might be 100 or 500 miles from the ice- 
bergs. He caught many messages from the 


) 30 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

Herculanea and other ships speaking *with 
her, but no more latitude and longitude. 

Time passed rapidly, and the interest of 
Walter did not wane. In fact, he would not 
have thought of going to bed at all, so long 
as he was able to catch messages from the 
Herculanea, if Tony had not called his at- 
tention to the lateness of the hour. 

“Walter, do you know what time it is?” 
asked Tony after looking at his watch. The 
ship’s clock was not wound and had struck no 
bells all evening. 

“I guess it’s pretty late,” replied the dili- 
gent radio listener mechanically. 

“No, it’s early in the morning — after mid- 
night.” 

“You don’t say. Well, we’ll have to quit 
soon and go to bed. But I do hate to stop as 
long as I can get a message from Guy’s and 
mother’s ship. Maybe Guy’s standing beside 
the operator right now. It ’u’d be just like him 
to hang around the radio room for hours at 
a time if they’d let ’im.” 

“He’s more likely in bed.” 

“Perhaps you’re nght. Well, one more 
message, and I’ll quit.” 

But it was a long time coming, measured 
by the impatience of the listener. The oper- 
ator on the Herculanea was silent for ten 
minutes or more, while Walter, sat at his table. 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


131 


eager to receive one more message before 
turning in. 

“Better give it up,” advised Tony, “He’s 
going to bed.” 

“I won’t believe it till I have to,” replied 
the other. “No, you’re wrong,” he added sud- 
denly. “Here he is.” 

Walter was now all eagerness again. But 
soon a marked change came over his face. So 
startling was the change that Tony sprang 
forward to catch his friend, believing him to 
be ill. The next instant he saw his mistake. 

Pale and trembling, Walter gripped the 
receivers with both hands, while he listened 
with every nerve at high tension. He uttered 
one or two gasps; then he snatched up his 
pencil and wrote several figures on the tab. 
A moment later he was shouting orders to his 
companion. 

“Tony, Tony!” he cried. “Run an’ wake 
up Det quick. Tell him to come here right 
away. The Herculanea — S. 0. S. — got the 
message. She’s hit something — ^wrecked — 
sinking— mother — Guy!” 

Dazed, bewildered, Tony rushed out of the 
cabin, onto the wharf and up the path toward 
the old sailor’s house, while Walter, with 
ghost-like face and rigid muscles sat listening 
to the appeals of distress as they came from 
the operator of the doomed liner. 


CHAPTER XIV 
The Voice of the Fog Pirate. 

Affairs were bad enough on board the Her- 
culanea, but not quite so bad as the cry of the 
terror stricken passenger would seem to in- 
dicate. Although she was steadily sinking 
lower and lower, the steamer remained afloat 
half an hour after the first boiler explosion. 
After a hundred or more had leaped into the 
sea, following the example of the first terri- 
fied wretch, the panic subsided, and the saner 
ones busied themselves at devising means of 
self-preservation. But it was plainly a ques- 
tion of only a short time when she would tip 
on end and plunge downward, so that all 
worked with the greatest of haste. 

Guy and his two friends kept together 
through the fearful excitement. A dozen 
rafts, large enough and well enough buoyed 
to float with a burden of from twenty-five to 
fifty persons each, were being launched with 
greater energy than skill, and conditions now 
looked hopeful for those who had leaped into 

132 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


133 


the sea with life jackets, as well as for the 
many who still remained on board. 

As soon as those on the boat deck observed 
what was going on below, there was a general 
rush down to the main deck. Guy, Watson 
and Glennon aided in lowering the rafts and 
were among the last to seek refuge them- 
selves on one of the floating platforms. 

So far as they were able to determine, no 
lives were lost in this final abandonment of 
the sinking vessel. All, apparently, wore life 
jackets and even those who ordinarily were 
unable to swim had little difficulty in making 
their way to the rafts and climbing aboard. 
Then, as rapidly as possible, the escaping pas- 
sengers and members of the crew rowed away 
from the doomed Herculanea in order not to 
be sucked down with her when she plunged to 
the bottom of the ocean. 

The raft on which Guy and his two friends 
made their escape was less than 100 hundred 
feet away from the ship when another boiler 
explosion settled the question as to how much 
longer she would afloat. The men with the 
oars in their hands strained every muscle in 
their bodies and limbs and succeeded in more 
than doubling this distance, when the great 
liner plunged nose down out of sight. Even 
then the strength of the oarsmen was not suf- 
ficient to stem the backward pull of the cata- 


1 34 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

clysmic current, and they were dragged almost 
to the very spot where the ship sank. But 
although the raft was rocked violently, no 
damage was done, except the tipping off of 
two passengers, who were soon taken aboard 
again, none the worse for their ducking, if 
we except violent chills and chattering teeth. 

Following the disappearance of the Her- 
culanea beneath the surface of the sea, more 
attention was given by the occupants of the 
rafts to their surroundings. No doubt there 
had been only casual observation of the proxi- 
mity of the great iceberg on the part of any- 
body as long as the ship remained afloat. Now 
it was the principal object of interest for all. 

Guy told himself that he had never dream- 
ed that there could be so mighty a mass of 
ice between the arctic and antarctic circles. 
Naturally the sight of this frigid monster, in 
the gloom of the starlit night, tended further 
to depress his spirits and caused him to give 
way for a time to the most wretched forebod- 
ings, and it was only after an inward struggle 
that he was able to overcome them. 

A majority of those on the raft on which 
Guy and his friends had sought refuge decided 
that it was better not to row away from the 
place where the liner went down because of 
the expected arrival of one or more rescue 
ships in a few hours. Some of the men were 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


135 


disposed to grumble a little at this inactivity, 
but Watson, who soon assumed the role of 
leader by virtue of his readiness of ideas, 
suggested that they take turns at the oars and 
propel the craft around in a circle near the 
iceberg. As everybody was wet and cold, all 
were eager to put their hands to the oars, so 
that there was no lack of helpers in this aim- 
less occupation. Even the half dozen women 
on the raft took their turns at the circular 
rowing. 

This raft was one of the larger that had 
been carried by the Herculanea and support- 
ed some twenty-five passengers. The material 
and construction were of a kind generally ap- 
proved for life saving emergencies of this 
kind. The buoys were long metal cylinders, 
cone shaped at each end, like a sharpened 
pencil. Over these was a large platform or 
deck, made of many slats of light wood, laid 
side by side an inch or two apart and bound 
together with steel cross rods. 

In spite of the fact that they were in no 
immediate danger of drowing, the shipwrecked 
occupants of this and all the other rafts from 
the Herculanea were anything but confident 
of safety for themselves in their condition and 
surroundings. They were all wet to the skin, 
and the atmosphere and the water into which 
many of them had plunged when leaving the 


1 36 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 


steamer were almost as cold as ice. It seemed 
scarcely possible that the constitutions of the 
most hardy could withstand such exposure 
many hours. Moreover, the sea was by no 
means calm. A considerable swell of the 
ocean drenched them repeatedly so that there 
was little likelihood of any amelioration of 
their discomfort by the drying of their 
clothes in the smart wind that below. 

“It seems to me that the wind is getting 
stronger and the waves heavier,” remarked 
one of the women, nervously addressing Guy, 
who clung to some of the slats of their raft 
near her. 

“We can’t hang onto this raft if the sea 
gets much rougher,” declared another woman. 

“If the waves are going to get much high- 
er, we’d be much better off on that iceberg,” 
declared a shivering middle-aged man to Guy’s 
left. 

“That isn’t a bad idea,” said a “half-drown- 
ed” seaman, who seemed to be suffering quite 
as wretchedly as the women. “I move that 
we look for a landing place.” 

“Are the rescue ships likely to look for 
anybody on the iceberg?” questioned Guy. 

“They’ll make a good search for us all 
around here, never fear,” replied the seaman. 
“It’s up to us to keep ourselves alive by any 
means possible for several hours, and we’ll be 


OR* CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


137 


safe. We can’t live in this ice-water, though.” 

“How about on the ice?” inquired Watson, 
who had been listening attentively to the dis- 
cussion. 

“We’ll have a better chance to move 
around there and dry our clothes,” replied the 
seaman. “We can fly signals, too, from the 
top of the berg, if we can get up there. They 
ought to attract attention from! so high a 
point.’^ 

The seaman’s argument created a general- 
ly favorable impression, and a little further 
discussion resulted in a unanimous vote to 
seek refuge on the iceberg. This mountain 
of frozen water, being only a short rowing 
distance from where the ship went down, was 
soon reached. But disappointment met their 
first close inspection, for as far as they 
were able to see, there appeared to be 
no “landing place.” Then they rowed in 
an easterly direction along the ragged wall of 
ice. Another and smaller raft, supporting 
some twenty passengers, followed them. 

They rowed around the eastern end of the 
berg and some distance along the north- 
ern side. In spite of his great physical dis- 
comfort, Guy soon found his interest centered 
again on the immensity of the floating mass 
of ice, which became more and more evident 
as they advanced, in spite of the darkness of 


1 38 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

the night. At last they found an ideal 
“beach,” sloping down gradually to the water’s 
edge. The waves dashed high upon this area, 
and it was evident that if they were to affect 
a “landing” it could be done only by a vig- 
orous “beaching” drive. 

The oarsmen of the larger raft took in the 
situation at a glance and acted accordingly. 
They bent to the task with their best energy 
and the raft seemed to be lifted almost out 
of the water in the crest of a wave. Then 
down it came with a crash and a crunching, 
grinding sound. Some of the passengers were 
literally hurled off the raft and onto the ice 
as the water receded. 

“Look out! She’ll be carried back by the 
next wave,” shouted one of the men. “Lay 
hold and we’ll save her.” 

Guy sprang forward with a score of other 
men to seize the raft and drag it farther up on 
the “beach ;” but, as he did so, a thrill of as- 
tonishment electrified his numb physique. 

That voice! Surely it was the “squeaky 
— ^roar” of the London “fog pirate.” But it 
was not so much the voice as the identity of 
its possessor that astonished the boy. The 
man who shouted the warning stood only a 
few feet away from Guy and the latter re- 
cognized him. 

It was Gunseyt. 


CHAPTER XV 
Captain Walter. 

Few moments in any boy’s career have 
been more dreadfully thrilling than those im- 
mediately following Walter’s catching of the 
first distress message from the Herculanea. 
That there had been a terrible accident could 
not be doubted. The first three letters of the 
message were well-known “S. 0. S.” Then fol- 
lowed a rapid succession of short sentences, 
relating what had occurred and giving the 
location of the wrecked steamer. 

Walter sat at the table in the deck house 
of the Jetta listening to the messages almost 
as rigidly as if he himself had been immersed 
into an icy bath and frozen stiff. Not a letter 
escaped him. No operator, however skill- 
ful, could have dot-and-dashed too rapidly for 
him now. Every nerve, every fiber in his 
body was at its highest tension, and almost 
the only cause that could have stolen a word 
from his listening ears was the snapping of a 
vital cord. 


JS9 


1 40 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

Anxiety for the safety of his mother 
and Guy was the zero temperature that held 
him frozen to his chair and to the receivers. 
As the appeals and the crisp, snappy descrip- 
tions of what had happened came to him, he 
pictured the scene rapidly, instinctively, viv- 
idly. He saw his mother and brother on a 
deck of the steamer, nervously awaiting their 
fate in the decision of events. He heard them 
speak to each other, uttering words of cheer 
and fondly remarking about folks at home. 
He saw the ship sink lower and lower and the 
lifeboats descending from the davits. 

Of course they were safe unless the sea 
were too rough for small boats. And such 
danger was improbable, for the operator had 
said nothing about it in his calls for help. He 
had said that it was cold, but this was all the 
information he had given regarding the 
weather. Guy saw the passengers getting 
into the boats, and then an awful possibility oc- 
curred to him. 

Suppose there were not enough boats for 
all! 

The Herculanea was one of the largest 
steamers in the world and carried enough 
passengers to populate a small city. It would 
require many boats to accommodate all these. 
Walter was somewhat reassured when he re- 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


141 


called that the Titanic disaster had waked up 
the leading nations ‘of the world to the ne- 
cesity of ample liifesaving facilities on all sea- 
going vessels, but he could not quite dismiss 
his fears in this regard. 

In the midst of his near-panic of mind, 
Tony and Det arrived. The latter was not ex- 
cited, although Tony had aroused him from 
his sleep in a manner that was enough to con- 
vince one that a war fleet had arrived from 
Mars or the end of the world had come. But 
he found Walter in an attitude that caused him 
to become more than serious, for the radio 
boy was just receiving another distress call, 
coupled with the announcement that the list- 
ing of the ship had rendered it impossible to 
launch nearly half the boats, so that many of 
the passengers would have to seek safety on 
rafts. 

“What’s all this about?” demanded the old 
sailor with a kind of awed sternness. 

Walter did not answer at once. He was 
listening intently. But pretty soon a short 
period of silence in the receivers gave him op- 
portunity to cry out: 

“Hasn’t Tony told you? The Herculanea 
is wrecked — going down. They’re taking to 
the boats, and there’s not enough boats for 


1 42 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

all. There are only rafts for hundreds of 
them.” 

“You got that message?” inquired the in- 
credulous man. “Where is the steamer?” 

“Off Nova Scotia, four hundred miles from 
here.” 

“You must be crazy! Your little amateur 
outfit couldn’t receive a message from away 
up there.” 

“Crazy, am I?” fired back Walter. “That 
showes how little you know about wireless 
telegraphy. This outfit can take any message 
that any other outfit can take. I want you to 
know that I received those messages, and 
they are true. Look over this boat as fast as 
possible and see that she’s ready to start on 
a four hundred mile trip in half an hour.” 

Det stared at the boy as if he thought 
him mad. He wondered if he were not still 
in his bed and dreaming. He could hardly be- 
lieve his senses. But the boy was in dead ear- 
nest and could not be handled lightly. He was 
in a mood to give commands now, even to the 
grown and long experienced Det Teller, and 
he must be handled like a man. 

“If the steamer’s going to sink, it’ll be at 
the bottom of the ocean almost before we can 
get started, let alone running four hundred 
miles,” objected Det. 

“I don’t care if it’s four thousand miles,” 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


143 


Walter shouted back. Then he ceased to talk 
for a few moments while he caught another 
message. Pretty soon he spoke again, but now 
in a pleading tone: 

“Det, Det, do get busy. This boat must 
start as soon as ever we can get ready. Mother 
and Guy may have to float in an open boat 
for days. We can’t run any unneccessary 
risks. Other steamers may pick them up, and 
then again they may not. Tony, will you go 
along?” 

“Give me time to run and ask pa,” replied 
the boy addressed. 

“I’ll give you half an hour. By that time 
we’ll be gone, whether you’re here or not. 
There’s no time to waste.” 

Tony was off like a shot before his friend 
had finished speaking. Meanwhile Det was 
mechanically obeying orders. He could not 
well do otherwise. He wished heartily that 
the boy’s father were at home. He longed for 
more authority for such an undertaking. It 
was a time of the year when the sea was 
treacherous, and it was risky business to at- 
tempt such a trip in so small a boat. More- 
over, the chances of success were so few as 
to render the proposition almost foolhardy in 
his opinion. 

And yet, he dared not take the responsibi- 
lity of opposing Walter. There was too much 


1 44 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 


at stake. Surely Mr. Burton would count- 
enance any step, however hazardous, taken 
for the purpose of rescuing two members of 
his family from so great a peril. If the crew 
of the Jetta were lost, the owner would have 
the consolation of knowing that they died 
heroes. 

Det decided to go. The more he thought 
over the matter, the less argument he could 
offer against the move. He concluded that he 
would be branded as a coward and an unfaith- 
ful employe of the Burton family if he showed 
a disposition to hinder any rescue plan, un- 
less he could offer a better. He went into the 
engine room, made a careful survey of the 
quarters, found that Walter had made prac- 
tically all the preparations necessary, and 
then returned to the young skipper. 

‘‘Everything’s ready,” he announced. ‘T’m 
going to the house and tell Mag, an’ then I’ll 
be right back.” 

Without waiting for an answer, he was 
gone. He ran all the way to the house, burst 
into the bedroom where his wife lay, impa- 
tiently waiting his return, and in excited 
tones and short sentences informed her what 
had happened: 

“Big steamer wrecked ’way up the coast. 
Mrs. Burton an’ Guy on board. We’re goin’ 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


145 


up there in the Jetta. Good-by. We’ll be 
gone several days.” 

“My gracious!” exclaimed Mrs. Teller 
springing out of bed and grabbing the first 
article of clothing she could lay her hands on. 
“Wait, Det ; you’ll have to have something to 
eat on the way.” 

“Shiver my fence posts if I ever thought 
o’ that,” exclaimed the excited farmer-sailor, 
“stopping in his tracks.” “I always said it 
was a lucky day when I married you. First 
I lost my head when I fell in love, then I ran 
away ’cause you broke my heart, and since the 
parson tied the knot you’ve saved my life 
forty- ’leven times over.” 

Mrs. Teller had long since been cured of 
her early coquettishness and it was safe 
enough for her jovial husband to talk in that 
manner. She was in no mood to pay any at- 
tention to nonsense just now. She loved Mrs. 
Burton with the devotion of long and faithful 
employment, and could think of nothing but 
haste and speed in assisting her husband to 
get ready. 

“You’ll want some money, too,” she added, 
going to a dresser and turning on an electric 
light over it. Then she fished a key out of a 
button-box and unlocked and opened a small 
drawer in the upper part of the dresser. 


1 46 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 


“Here’s all but ten dollars of last month’s 
salary,” she said, handing a roll of bills to her 
husband, “take it ; you may need it. You may 
run out of gasoline and food, and Walter won’t 
have any money.” 

Det took the roll and pinned it in an inside 
pocket of his vest. 

“I’ll have you a bag full of dinner in a 
jiffy,” she added, as she ran with stockinged 
feet, into the kitchen. There she struck a 
light and “flew about” in a manner that would 
have been quite satisfactory to impatient Wal- 
ter could he have seen her. 

“Row’d you get the news?” she asked, 
seizing a pot of boiled potatoes she intended 
to fry for breakfast and dumping them into 
an empty flour sack. 

Det told her all he knew while she filled 
tv/o sacks with promiscuous edibles, including 
pies, bread, cookies, cold boiled meat, and a 
smoked ham. 

“There,” she said as she finished ; “you take 
these sacks, and I’ll carry this basket of 
apples and this basket of raw potatoes, and 
we’ll go.” 

“You’re not going along, be you?” inquired 
the amazed husband as he obeyed instructions. 

“No,” she replied, swinging the door open 
and stepping out. “But I would if I could. 
I’ve got to stay with the children.” 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


147 


Mr. and Mrs. Teller had a son and a 
daughter. The former was eight years old 
and the latter six. Besides these, Jetta Bur- 
ton was living with them during the absence 
of her parents. 

When Det and his wife reached the yacht, 
they met Tony and his father just arriving 
on a run. Mr. Lane had been aroused as vig- 
orously by the story of the wreck and the peril 
to the two Burtons as Mr. Teller had been. 
He offered no objection to his son’s accom- 
panying Walter on his dash to the rescue, and 
in a remarkably short time he and Tony were 
running down the road toward the yacht’s 
harbor. 

Meanwhile messages had ceased to come 
from the Herculanea, and Walter concluded 
that the electric machinery of the liner was 
no longer in operation, if, indeed, the ship 
had not already gone down. So he left his 
instruments and made a hurried survey of the 
preparations for departure. Then he assigned 
Tony to the engine room, for the latter was 
almost as well acquainted with the motive 
power of the yacht as he was, and asked Det 
to man the stern line while he backed away 
from the wharf. 

“See that everything’s in good running 
order,” he called after Tony, as the latter start- 


1 48 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

ed for the engine room. “Then you c’n come 
back on deck.” 

A moment later he was in the pilot house, 
calling to Det to release the stern line. After 
this had been done, he stepped on the starter, 
threw the clutch in reverse, and, by holding 
onto the bowline, forced the stern away from 
the wharf. Then he let go his bowline and 
backed out far enough to give him complete 
clearance, after which he reversed his wheel 
and threw in the clutch, giving the boat full 
speed ahead. 

Mr. and Mrs. Lane stood on the wharf and 
watched the yacht till it was out of sight in 
the darkness. Presently Tony reappeared on 
deck with the report that all was running 
smoothly in the engine room, after which 
there was little conversation on b(mrd for 
some time. Walter was in possession of a bit 
of information that he would have been de- 
lighted to communicate to his friends, but he 
decided that it was better to keep it to him- 
self for the present. He feared that its rev- 
elation might cause Det and Tony to urge a 
return home at once, and this he would not 
consent to do. The information was indeed 
of cheering nature, but he did not wish to let 
the rescue of his mother and his brother rest 
on that alone. Shortly before the operator on 
the Herculanea ceased to send out calls for 


OR, CAST AWAY ON, AN ICEBERG 


149 


help, Walter caught a message from another 
steamer, sajdng that it was hastening to the 
scene of the disaster. 

But this steamer might be half-way across 
the Atlantic and might fail to arrive in time 
to be of assistance. 

‘Til wait till we’re well on our way before 
I tell them about it,” Walter resplyed grimly. 


CHAPTER XVI 
On the Iceberg 

The raft was quickly drawn up to a safe 
position on the “ice shore” and the castaways 
retreated still farther from the water’s edge 
in order to keep well out of reach of the 
heaviest waves. The smaller raft was “beach- 
ed” in a similar manner, and like precaution 
was taken to prevent its being washed back 
into the sea. 

Presently the moon arose and lighted the 
scene with ghastly effect. But the ghastliness 
was a thing more to be remembered after- 
wards. It scarcely moved their numbed senses 
then. Wind currents high above soon became 
more active, and banks of clouds were broken 
up and scattered as if by bursting shells, then 
chased one another across the sky, while the 
big pale-yellow queen of the night rode majes- 
tically over this deep-wide scene of dismal 
wilderness. 

All of the women and several of the men 
on the iceberg were suffering so severely, as 
a result of the exposure, that it appeared like- 


160 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


151 


ly they would soon collapse. Their condition 
and the serious discomfort of everybody else 
compelled a general casting about for means 
of relief. True, the first impulse was one of 
hopelessness, but events proved that elements 
were still available with which resourceful 
minds could combat despair. 

The first device along this line was preced- 
ed with a discovery that, in itself, was any- 
thing but hopeful. This discovery was an- 
nounced by Gunseyt, who exhibited more 
nervous anxiety over the danger of their situa- 
tion than any other member of the castaway 
party. Meanwhile Guy had not fully recover- 
ed from his astonishment following his iden- 
tification of the “radio passenger’’ with the 
London “fog pirate” of the “squeak-roar” 
voice. Hence the mystery of this revelation 
tempered somewhat the gloom of a new disas- 
ter, disclosed, by those same “squeak-roar” 
tones, when Gunseyt startled everybody by 
announcing: 

“The rafts are spoiled ; we can’t use them 
any more. The air cylinders are smashed.” 

There was a general rush toward the rafts 
as the last alarming sentence was finished, 
and a hurried inspection was made by all. 
Several groans of dismay followed, also a few 
grumbling criticisms of the carlessness that 
had characterized their landing on the ice 


1 52 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

“beach.” The drive of the oars, reinforced 
by the lift and drop of the waves on which 
they had ridden “shoreward,” had brought the 
cylinders down upon the ice with such force 
as to wreck their further serviceability as 
air-and-water-tight buoys. 

“Yes, he’s right,” declared Watson present- 
ly. “They’re not good for anything any more 
except firewood.” 

“Then let’s build a fire and get warm,” 
proposed one of the men. “I’ve got a water- 
tight match-safe full of matches.” 

The unanimous vote with which this pro- 
posal was speedily adopted was pitiful in its 
eagerness. Then followed a general attack 
upon the two rafts, which, although there was 
not a tool larger than a jacknife in this ice- 
berg camp, quickly reduced them to crumpled 
heaps of wood, bended steel bars, and the bat- 
tered junk of many recently well-shaped and 
air-tight metal cylinders. Watson, Guy, 
Glennon and half a dozen other men, who had 
knives in their pockets whittled away at pieces 
of the deck lumber, and soon produced a pile 
of fairly dry shavings and splints. 

“Now,” said Watson; “we’ll try to arrange 
these cylinders so that they may be used as a 
sort of grate for our fire to prevent, as much 
as possible, a melting of the ice under it. And, 
by the way, there’s another precaution we 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


153 


want to take. There’s no telling how thick, or 
thin, this beach of ice that we are standing on 
is. A fire’s bound to melt it more or less, and 
that, together with our weight, might cause it 
to crack and, maybe, break off. There’s a 
shelf up there that’s big enough to hold us all, 
and a good bonfire, too. Come on, men; one 
more little job, and we’ll soon be toasting.” 

The men needed no urging. A few were 
inclined to grumble at the delay, but the 
majority were of a class well experienced in 
the wisdom of “looking ahead,” and Watson’s 
advice prevailed. The shelf in question was 
more th.an a hundred feet square, and was 
elevated eight or ten feet higher than the area 
on which they were standing. Both of these 
areas were comparatively smooth, probably 
because they were exposed to the dash of the 
high waves, which filled the crevices and hol- 
low places and froze. 

In spite of their numbed and deep-chilled 
condition, the men worked with good energy, 
and pretty soon a roaring blaze was shooting 
its eager tongues upward and making more 
cheerful that desolate place. The women were 
assisted to the upper shelf, and then began the 
work of drying clothes and thawing out ach- 
ing limbs and bodies. The drying process was 
a long one. The fire was not large enough to 
accommodate all around it at once near the 


1 5 4 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

blaze, so that it was necessary for them to 
“thaV’ in shifts and hold articles of clothing 
for one another near the heat. However, by 
supplementing the benefits of the fire with 
vigorous exercise they produced excellent re- 
sults and finally all found themselves feeling 
almost comfortable. 

But it was an occupation attended with 
much suffering at first The women and even 
a few of the men, who had been numbed into 
silence, wept and groaned with pain as they 
be^n to “thaw.” Guy had never before suf- 
fered such agony, particularly in his feet, 
which had become almost nerveless from walk- 
ing or standing on the ice in shoes soaked 
with water. 

“We’ll all be having rheumatism all the 
rest of our lives,” he remarked to Glennon as 
they stood with bare feet on bits of wood and 
held their shoes and socks near the blaze. 

“We’ll be mighty lucky if we ever get out 
of this fix to enjoy the blessings of rheuma- 
tism,” replied a man who overheard the pro- 
phecy. 

“Oh, we’ll be rescued all right,” was Wat- 
son’s confident assurance uttered for its op- 
timistic effect on his companions. “I 
shouldn’t be surprised to see a ship loom up 
in the darkness any minute. And that reminds 
me that we must keep a sharp lookout. Any- 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


155 


body that’s got a pair of lusty lungs he’d like 
to exercise couldn’t put ’em to better use than 
to let forth a big yell now and then.” 

“It couldn’t be heard very far,” declared 
another with half-thawed-out pessimism. 

“Oh, yes it could. Sound travels a long 
distance over water. Besides,” he added, low- 
ering his voice so the women could not hear: 
“we’ve got to figure out something else be- 
sides this fire to attract attention. There’s 
only one chance in two or three that the blaze 
will be seen by a passing ship. See how high 
the ice rises there. It completely shuts off 
the light of the fire on that side.” 

Guy was startled at this suggestion. He 
gazed up at the great jagged wall of ice and 
realized at once that Watson’s fear was no 
idle one. He looked up among the scattering 
clouds, located the north star, and then 
observed that it was the view to the south that 
was shut off by the mountain of ice. A great 
dread possessed him as he realized that a 
rescue steamer might pass within a quarter 
of a mile of this precarious refuge while the 
officers and crew remained ignorant of the 
nearness of the castaways. 

Following the suggestion of Watson, a 
chorus of shouts was sent out over the water 
every now and then. The first attempt was 
a dismal failure, resulting in such discord that 


1 56 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

every voice tended to annul, rather than to 
assist, the strength and clearness of every 
other voice. The next and succeeding at- 
tempts, however, were more satisfactory, 
being pitched in a common key. But un- 
fortunately the wall of ice prevented the sound 
from going very far to the south, for the ship 
which had signaled to the operator on the 
Herculanea that it was hastening to' the rescue 
arrived in the vicinity, picked up several boat 
loads, remained near the scene of the wreck 
until daybreak, and then steamed away with- 
out discovering the party on the iceberg. 

It was three hours after sun-up before the 
castaways succeeded in drying all their 
clothes. To effect this, they had found it 
necessary to burn all the wood of the smaller 
raft and a considerable portion of the larger. 

Nowhere could they discover a sign of life 
— ^not a bird of any description nor an in- 
habitant of the deep sporting on the surface. 
After the sun had teased them a few hours 
with just a suggestion of warmth, the fire was 
allowed to burn low to conserve the remaining 
fuel. The men decided to try to keep warm 
with vigorous exercise, incidentally exploring 
their cheerless refuge. 

But it was almost a hopeless task without 
food in their stomachs. I^he resolute men 
had not exercised long before they realized 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


157 


that fuel must soon be supplied for the fur- 
naces of their bodies or the human fires in 
them would die out. 

Guy realized this quite as fully as did the 
others. He read similar thought in the faces 
of Watson and Glennon, as the three moved 
together away from the rest of the castaways. 
But he set his teeth firmly, resolving to die 
with a struggle, if indeed he must die. And 
it was not easy, even under the present almost 
hopeless circumstances, for him to entertain a 
likelihood of such finish. There must be some 
way out of the predicament. 

The flat shore-like section of the iceberg 
where they had sought refuge was several 
acres in extent. It was a ^‘beach on a mountain 
coast,” being formed as if cut into a giant hill, 
with a sloping wind-break on either side. 
Watson and the two boys approached the 
slope at the western end to discover, if 
possible, an ascent to some high lookout point 
on the berg. 

What seemed at first glance an impossible 
task proved much less difficult on closer in- 
spection. They were pleased to find just be- 
yond the “wind-break” a natural crevice, or 
depression, running up the side of the ice- 
mountain and in this crevice an ascent of 
steps which although crude and irregular, 
they could almost believe had been fashioned 


1 58 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

by human hands. With a shout of surprise 
that attracted the attention of all the other 
men, Watson ran around the end of the “wind- 
break” near the water’s edge and began to 
climb this remarkable stairway. 

Guy and Carl followed. A recent fall of 
snow on wet ice, succeeded by freezing, made 
it possible to secure good foothold, and they 
ascended rapidly. The higher they went, the 
more they wondered, and the more they were 
inclined to believe that human hands had per- 
formed this work of ice carpentry or ma- 
sonry. 

But more surprises were in store for them. 
After they reached the top landing — a con- 
siderable level area fashioned by Jack Frost 
and the elements — ^they beheld a sight that 
caused them to stare with amazment and then 
shout for joy. On the farther slope of the 
iceberg was another flight of steps leading 
almost to the water’s edge, and at the foot was 
all the evidence needed to convince then that 
both stairways were works of men. In another 
area, not more than flfty feet in diameter and 
running out to form another and smaller 
beach at the water’s edge, were two human 
beings, apparently men. 

“Why, we’re not the only ones that landed 
on the iceberg,” exclaimed Glennon. 

“Not so fast,” advised Watson, with a con- 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


159 


tradictory gesture. “Those people are not 
from the Herculanea. See, they’re dressed in 
furs. If I’m not mistaken, they’re not of our 
race even; they’re — ” 

He hesitated before expressing the opinion 
in his mind and looked more intently at the 
two strange inhabitants of the floating island 
of ice. 

“What?” Guy asked eagerly. 

“Eskimos!” 


CHAPTER XVII 
The Eskimos 

Presently a few more of the castaways ar- 
rived at the top of the stairway and the rest 
of the men were either on their way up or 
were hastening toward the steps of ice. They 
ascended single file, as much of the upward 
passage was not wide enough for two or more 
to walk abreast 

Among the first to reach the upper landing 
was an anthropological professor of a New 
England college, Dr. Olaf Anderson. He wus 
a Dane and had made studies of the human 
race in all the northern countries of Europe 
and Asia and in Arctic, America, including Ice- 
land and Greenland. No sooner did he get a 
view of the two fur-clad strangers a hundred 
and fifty feet below than he forgot his hunger 
and physical weariness. Here was something 
that aroused a more lively interest in him than 
could even prospects of food or home. It did 
not take him long to verify Watson’s suspi- 
cion. 


leo 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


161 


“Innuits!” he exclaimed. “How did they 
get here.” 

“You ought to explain that better than 
anybody else, professor,” said Watson, who 
had made the acquaintance of the anthro- 
pologist on the steamer. 

“They must have been trapped here in some 
way,” declared the latter. “And in that case, 
they couldn’t have been here less than several 
weeks.” 

“Good!” cried Watson eagerly. 

“Why ‘good’?” Guy inquired. 

“Because they couldn’t have lived here that 
long without food and some way to keep 
warm. That means they can help us.” 

This prospect made Guy feel so cheerful 
that he indulged in a mischievous reply. 

“You ought to be a detective,” he said. The 
boy had hitherto given Watson no hint that 
he had discovered his occupation. 

“What makes you say that?” inquired the 
operative, looking keenly at his young friend. 

“The way you figure things out. You’d 
make a good secret service man.” 

“I wonder how we happened to miss this 
landing place last night, and how the rescue 
steamer, which must have had a searchlight, 
failed to see the Eskimos,” one of the men re- 
marked. 

“It was dark and we didn’t come this way,” 


1 62 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

replied Watson. “We started farther toward 
the eastern end of the iceberg. I haven’t any 
doubt that the rescue steamer has been this 
way and picked up the boats and rafts with- 
out seeing the Eskimos.” 

“Probably they slept late,” suggested Prof. 
Anderson. “They usually do, especially if 
they’ve had enough to eat.” 

“That sounds hopeful,” put in an optimis- 
tic fellow, edging his way forward. 

“The Eskimos see us,” announced Carl. 
“Let’s go down there.” 

The two Innuits, as the professor learn- 
edly preferred to call them, seemed much ex- 
cited over their discovery. They threw their 
hands over their heads and, with loud cries, 
started as if to ascend the steps of ice, but 
stopped when they saw the newcomers de- 
scending. 

The next moment four gray-haired dogs, 
probably awakened by the cries of their mas- 
ters, emerged from a cave in the ice and gazed 
curiously up toward the new arrivals. Guy 
fancied that they sniffed the air hungrily. 

“We can eat them if we can’t find anything 
else to satisfy our appetites,” Carl suggested ; 
and the idea did not seem in the least repulsive 
to Guy. There was hardly enough luxury on 
the iceberg to encourage gastronomic fastid- 
iousness. 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


163 


The stairway in the ice proved to have 
been fashioned by both nature and man. The 
Eskimos, desiring access to both sides of the 
iceberg, fortunately had a rude sort of pick- 
axe that made the work of creating such ac- 
cess comparatively easy, especially since na- 
ture had half formed the steps in advance. 
By the time the leaders of the visiting party 
had arrived at the foot of the flight near 
the entrance of the Eskimos’ cave, th^e last of 
them had reached the top landing, and a long 
zig-zag line of men was descending single 
file. The Innuits after their first stir of ex- 
citement, stood quitely, stoically, it seemed, 
waiting for developments. Fortunately the 
professor could speak their language well 
enough to make himself understood, and soon 
he was jabbering almost glibly with the short, 
round faced, narrow-eyed, brown-skinned, 
black-haired wanderers from the North. 

The stoicism of the Eskimos was stoicism 
only in general appearance, as close attention 
to their eyes proved. The latter glistened 
with joy and eagerness. The delight thus ex- 
pressed, however, was turned to a dull-orbed 
disappointment when they learned that the 
strangers were only a party of shipwrecked 
travelers in worse straits than the two Arctic 
inhabitants of the iceberg. There was not 
much encouragement in the appearance of 


1 64 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

nearly half a hundred hungry men begging for 
something to eat from their scanty store. 

Prof. Anderson’s conjecture as to the 
cause of the casting away of the Eskimos was 
correct. They had been hunting with a sled 
and a team of eight dogs on a field of ice off 
the southern coast of Greenland. Two bears 
had been discovered by them on an iceberg 
that had become frozen fast in the field, and 
the two Innuits had driven to this mountain 
of solid water, where they left their dogs and 
sled and climbed up after the game. 

It was then they made their discovery of 
the “stairway” of ice, but the ascent was 
more difficult and even dangerous because 
of the uneven, irregular character of the 
steps, which slanted “in all directions.” How- 
ever, they reached a lofty ledge, on which one 
of the bears was perched, and so severely 
wounded him with their harpoons that he 
slipped and fell, bounding down the steep and 
jagged ice a hundred feet or more. 

At this juncture, almost as if caused by 
the rebounding impacts of the bear’s eight 
or nine hundred pounds, a thunderous noise 
rent the frosty air, and the two Innuits knew 
that the ice-field was breaking. With all pos- 
sible speed they hastened down to their sled 
and dogs, but before they had gone half-way, 
they realized the seriousness of the situation. 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


165 


The iceberg, together with a considerable sec- 
tion of the floe, had broken away, leaving no 
solid connection with the land. 

They passed an hour or more helplessly 
gazing at the rapidly widening gap between 
them and the mainland, and then decided that 
a long season of hardship was in store for 
them unless someone on shore learned of 
their predicament and came to their rescue. 
The wind was blowing almost a gale from the 
land now and was steadily widening the 
breach. They climbed to the highest point 
they could reach and erected a flag of seal- 
skin between two upright spears. 

The two Eskimos, whose names were 
Emah and Tarmik, now made haste to pre- 
pare quarters to protect themselves and their 
dogs from the severe weather that threaten- 
ed to come heavily upon them. With their 
“pickaxe” and harpoons they dug a cave in a 
wall of ice, and by evening they had hollowed 
out a room large enough to accomodate them- 
selves and their four-footed companions. 
They removed the bear’s skin and spread this 
and another on the floor to sleep on. A few 
smaller skins they spread out for the dogs. 
In the entrance they piled up blocks of ice, 
leaving only sufficient opening for ventilation. 
Then they lighted some blubber in a stone 


1 66 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

lamp and soon the ice-walled room was very 
comfortable. 

^ But they had a scant supply of blubber 
with them, and the bear they had slain, al- 
though large, was lean. Fortunately, how- 
ever, they discovered a deposit of drift-wood 
partly imbedded in the ice on the other side 
of the iceberg after they had fashioned the 
rude steps of the “stairway*’ into a series of 
safer footholds. Much of this wood they 
dug out and carried over to their cave, as 
they feared a further breaking of the ice. 

Two days later this fear was realized. 
Large portions of this section of the ice- 
field broke off close to the berg on both sides. 
On the side where the cave had been hollowed 
out, only a small but well elevated area was 
left in front of their lodge. 

Meanwhile they kept their flag at the top 
of the stairway as a signal of distress to pass- 
ing ships. But none hove in sight, and life on 
their floating island became more desolate 
and lonely day by day. The days grew into 
weeks, and they lost all reckoning of time. 
The weather was stormy, snow and sleet fell, 
the wind blew heavy gales, and the iceberg 
moved rapidly, with the currents of air and 
water. Bear meat was their chief article of 
diet until the quarry that got them into trou- 
ble was devoured. Then they began to kill 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


167 


their dogs, slaying one at a time until only 
four were left. During much of this time, 
when the weather permitted, they were busy 
with hook and line, trying to catch fish for 
their larder, but they caught only a few. 
They would have set some traps for birds, 
but after the first few days afloat none flew 
near the iceberg. 

Both of the Eskimos were asleep when the 
Herculanea was sunk within a cable’s length 
of their ice cave, and they knew nothing of 
the disaster until informed by Prof. Ander- 
son. Cooped up as they were in their walls 
of frozen water, their slumbering ears had not 
been quickened by the explosion of the boilers 
or the screams of panic-stricken passengers. 
Moreover, their flag of distress fell from its 
anchorage, so that the castaways did not see 
it in the morning. 

The professor elicited all this information 
from the Eskimos without a reference to the 
hunger of his companions, much to the dis- 
gust and impatience of some of the latter 
when they learned the nature of the, to them, 
unintelligible conversation. But he did not 
wish to frighten the two Greenlanders with 
the condition of affairs among the shipwreck- 
ed party, and he had a professional and scien- 
tific curiosity that demanded satisfaction al- 


1 68 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 


most as urgently as did the gnawing in his 
stomach. 

By the time the story of the two Arctic 
men had been drawn out with many questions, 
the professor had a pretty clear idea of the 
extent of the assistance that might be expect- 
ed from them. Turning to his companions he 
said: 

“Gentlemen, we want to be careful what 
we do. We must treat these fellows with per- 
fect justice. They have hardly enough to keep 
their own souls and bodies together. What- 
ever assistance we get from them must be 
obtained by appealing to their good nature, 
for they are good-natured fellows. About all 
they have that can be made into food is four 
dogs, and they would hardly supply one good 
square meal for all of us.” 

Most of the men present were intelligent 
and disposed to regard the situation with calm- 
ness and fortitude. There were a few, how- 
ever, who grumbled at the words of the Danish 
scholar, and one of them asked with a half- 
snarl: 

“What do you advise us to do?” 

“That’s a question that I propose to put to 
the Eskimos,” replied Anderson. “We might 
ask them for food for the women, but we men 
can live through another day and night with- 
outh anything to eat if necessary. We’ll fol- 


OR CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


169 


low the example of these fellows, dig a few 
eaves in the ice, and with a very little fire in- 
side we can keep warm. In that way our fuel 
will last several days.” 

“That’s good advice,” said Watson, with a 
nod of confident approval. “Talk to them in 
that manner and let them know that we’re not 
going to do them any harm. Ask them for 
suggestions, and maybe they’ll be able to of- 
fer plans that will help us a lot.” 

The professor turned again to the Eskimos 
and talked with them for several minutes. 
Then he reported as follows: 

“They’re willing to help us all they can. 
They say they’ll give us one of the dogs if we 
have to have it, but suggest that we try fishing 
and see what we each get.” 

“How’ll we do that?” asked the half-snarl- 
ing critic who had spoken before. “We 
haven’t got any tackle.” 

“The Eskimos have a good supply: and will 
let us have several lines and hooks and some 
dog meat for bait, on condition that we give 
them some of our catch if we have good 
luck.” 

“That’s reasonable enough,” declared Wat- 
son. “Ask them for some tackle and bait and 
some tools to dig a few caves.” 

“The professor did as suggested and was 
given four strong lines with good steel hooks 


1 70 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

and a short-handled metal tool, best described 
as a cross between a hoe and a tomahawk. 
Where it had been manufactured would have 
been hard to conjecture, unless it was a bit of 
native “blacksmithing.” The handle was of 
walrus bone. 

■« “That’s fine,” exclaimed Watson, seizing 
^ the tool. “One man can cut a big hole in the 
ice with it in a few hours. Come on, let’s get 
to work.” 

With the professor and Watson again in 
the lead, the visitors filed back over the ice- 
mountain stairway to their own camp. There 
they found the women and children huddling 
around the fire and looking despairingly un- 
happy. 

“Cheer up,” urged Watson heartily. We’ve 
brought good news. There’s a couple of 
Esldmos on the other side of the iceberg, and 
they’ve given us some hooks and lines to fish 
with and a tool to dig some caves in the ice. 
We’re going to be all right now until a rescue 
ship finds us. 

A full acount was given to the women re- 
garding the discovery on the other side of the 
iceberg, and they became more hopeful as they 
watched the energetic activities of some of 
the men. While several began an attack with 
the Eskimo tool and other improvised im- 
plements on a wall of ice, several others went 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


171 


down near the water’s edge and threw the 
baited hooks as far out into the water as the 
lines would reach. With bits of wood for 
floats, the hooks were kept ten feet or more 
from the wall of ice under the water. 

Watson was proving that corpulence is not 
necessary for the greatest physical efficiency 
in a cold climate. With his tall, angular, 
“meatless” frame, he was perhaps the most 
vigorous in the entire party. He was ever 
ready with a word of cheer or advice in an 
emergency. Probably he saved one or more 
of the men from an uncomfortable ducking 
when he offered this suggestion before the 
lines were thrown into the water: 

“Everybody dig a hole in the ice to brace 
his feet in. If we catch any fish here, the’re 
liable to be big ones, and they’ll pull us in if 
our feet slip.” 

The fishermen followed this advice, using 
pocketknives to cut the ice and selecting 
rough, jagged places in which to sink their 
footholds. Then they angled for an hour 
without success, and some of the man began to 
show signs of impatience. But these discon- 
tented ones had taken no part in the activities 
of the morning, merely standing around and 
scowling when they were not forced to exer- 
cise in order to keep warm. One of them, Guy 
noticed, was Mr. Gunseyt, and three others 


172 


RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

were seamen. There were six, all told, who 
were conspicously dissatisfied, and they were 
observed several times grouped together and 
conversing in a manner that indicated no 
working sjrmpathy with the rest. 

“Fm afraid we’re going to have trouble 
with those fellows,” Watson remarked to Guy 
as the two stood watching the anglers ready 
to lend a hand should a powerful fish swallow 
a hook. 

“I’m surprised at Mr. Gunseyt,” said Guy 
slowly. “And yet,. I’m not either. He’s the 
strangest contradiction I ever heard of. Have 
you noticed that funny change in his voice 
lately? He doesn’t talk very much now.” 

“Yes, I noticed it.” 

“What’s the cause of it? — any idea?” 

Watson did not answer, for something 
more interesting just then claimed his at- 
tention. He sprang forward to assist one of 
the fishers who had more than he could handle 
on his line. 

Guy followed, also forgetting Mr. Gun- 
seyt’s voice. Fortunately the line, consisting 
of tough, twisted gut-strips, “as strong as a 
cable,” for it required all the stren^h of two 
men to prevent the fish from winning in the 
tug of war. Slowly Watson and Potter, the 
latter a Baltimore commission merchant, pull- 
ed the struggling, jerking, floundering fellow 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 1 73 

up over the edge of the ice, and a great cheer 
went up as a hundred hungry eyes beheld a 
silvery, brown-spotted king herring, almost 
four feet long. 

“Hooray!” shouted Watson, as he pounced 
on the magnificent denizen of the sea with 
both hands. But he was unable to hold him, 
and it was all two men could do to pin the 
slippery fellow to the ice, while a third cut 
his head oif with a pocketknife ! 


CHAPTER XVra 
A Midnight Invasion. 

Only one more fish was caught that day, 
and this second one was only a seven-pounder. 
However, everybody had a taste, and the bones 
and other refuse were saved for fuel. 

At first they had been puzzled over the 
question of how to obtain a supply of drink- 
ing water, but finally some of the men pro- 
duced several tin tobacco boxes, in which they 
were able to melt pieces of ice. This drinking 
ice had to be chipped from higher places on 
the berg, as the dashing of the waves in rough 
weather had coated the lower parts with a 
salty surface. 

The work of the cave diggers developed 
another pleasing surprise for the castaways. 
In connection with this, it was found neces- 
sary to do considerable planning. The ship- 
wrecked party all realized that they must get 
out of reach of high waves as soon as possible. 
Hence a flight of steps was cut to a kind of 
platform, some twenty feet above the area on 
which they had built their fire, and here was 

174 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


175 


begun the labor of hollowing out a house in 
the ice. 

The entrance was made only large enough 
to permit the passage of a man. After this 
had been cut inward four or five feet, the man 
with the hoe-tomahawk began to enlarge the 
tunnel, while two other men stood near and 
pushed back the chipped ice with pieces of 
raft flooring. Others behind these cleared the 
waste from the steps so that the way was kept 
constantly open. 

Shortly after the catching of the second 
fish, came the announcement of the cave dig- 
gers’ interesting surprise. They had cut their 
way into a great natural cavern in the ice- 
berg, large enough to accommodate all of the 
castaways and keep them warm with the aid 
of only a little fire. It was in fact, a sort of 
crevasse, with an opening at the top high 
above a fairly level floor area. This opening 
was large enough to admit some daylight, and 
all the air needed by the party, after circula- 
tion had been rendered possible through the 
cutting of the entrance by the cave diggers. 
As it chanced, the latter passage had been cut 
almost on a level with the floor of the crevasse. 

In the course of the day the weather be- 
came somewhat warmer and there was even 
pleasantness in the sun’s rays when one stood 
still and received their full benefit. About 


1 76 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

noon the fire was put out in order to save fuel. 
This proved to be a happy move for another 
reason, as it was found that there were still 
enough raft boards to cover a considerable 
floor space in their new refuge, and they were 
used for this purpose. Several of the pas- 
sengers of the rafts had brought mackintoshes 
and overcoats with them when they left the 
liner, vaguely hopeful of being able to use the 
garments later for their comfort. Guy, it 
will be remembered, was one of these, and 
when the question arose relative to the ar- 
rangement of sleeping quarters on the floor 
of the ice-cave, it was decided to use these 
articles of wearing apparel to supplement the 
board flooring. The Eskimos came over and 
offered suggestions and loaned them a bear- 
skin, which the Greenlanders found they 
could spare. Also they pointed out their 
“driftwood mine,” which, as a result of some 
more hard labor, yielded a considerable sup- 
ply of fuel. 

Meanwhile a constant lookout for vessels 
was maintained from the head of the stair- 
way over the iceberg. Guy and Watson had 
the last hour’s watch before nightfall. But 
no “sail” was sighted, nor did a long black 
trail from a steamer’s funnel reward their 
vigilance. 

That night was passed with fairly good 


OR, CAST AWAY ONI AN ICEBERG 1 77 

comfort in the cave. The entrance was almost 
closed with blocks of ice, only a small hole 
being left for ventilation. These blocks were 
held in place by horizontal boards slipped in- 
to grooves that had been cut in the “jambs” of 
the doorway. There were three of these 
boards, or shelf-like supports, so that it was 
possible to remove one section individually and 
crawl or creep in or out without disturbing the 
others. Inside, a watch was kept constantly 
for the purpose of feeding the small fire on a 
“grate” of metal cylinders and to listen for a 
breaking of the iceberg and indications of a 
change of its equilibrium. 

There was a good deal of restlessness on 
the part of the women and some of the men 
that night, but finally they fell asleep and all 
was quiet thereafter until morning. Guy and 
Carl awoke at daybreak and were the first to 
go out and look around. There was little 
change in the weather except that the air was 
rather colder and the sky more cloudy. How- 
ever the sun shone through a break in the east. 

Several of the men also soon emerged from 
the cave, bringing with them the fishing 
tackle, which they baited and cast into the 
water. In order that they might not have to 
stand long in one spot on the ice, the fishers 
moved large pieces of ice near the water’s 
edge, anchored them in rough places, and tied 


1 78 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

the lines around them. With the lines thus 
set they were able to exercise sufficiently to 
keep warm and at the same time watch for a 
“bite.’’ The lookout at the top of the stair- 
way also was renewed, while all who had noth- 
ing in particular to do remained much of the 
time within the more comfortable confines of 
the cave. 

Watson was still generally recognized as 
leader of the shipwrecked party, Avith Prof. 
Anderson a sort of lieutenant. Both were 
consulted a good deal, and the fact that they 
maintained a cheerful attitude aided much in 
buoying the spirits of the others. 

“I think we’re safe for several days unless 
we’re blown through the Labrador current 
into the Gulf stream,” remarked Prof. An- 
derson on one occasion when he and Watson 
and Guy and Carl were alone together. 

“I was thinking of that yesterday,” said 
Guy, who had read a good many sea tales and 
exploration accounts. “If we get in the Gulf 
stream, the iceberg’ll begin to melt pretty fast, 
and before long it’ll crack and explode and 
that’ll be the end of us.” 

“Yes,” agreed the professor; “but it’ll be 
an undermining process first. When we get 
in water that is warmer than the atmosphere, 
the submerged part of the iceberg will melt 
more rapidly than the part exposed to the air, 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


179 


and as by far the greater part of the iceberg, 
is under water, it needn’t take long to alter 
the center of gravity. When that happens, 
over we go.” 

“When are we likely to hit the gulf 
stream?” asked Guy. 

“I don’t know. I might make some rough 
calculations as to our locality to-night if the 
North Star is visible, but the result wouldn’t 
be accurate. I’d be likely to miss it by a hun- 
dred miles or more. Besides, I don’t know how 
far from land the Gulf Stream runs along 
here, so I could easily reckon a hundred and 
fifty miles off. I imagine, however, that we’re 
pretty near the Gulf stream and the wind 
which, you notice, is getting stronger all the 
time, is blowing us right towards it.” 

“Usually the icebergs follow the ocean cur- 
rents, don’t they?” inquired Watson. 

“Yes; but some times they get out of them. 
A strong wind may blow them out.” 

No fish were caught that morning and the 
six malcontents showed new signs of restless- 
ness; but they did nothing save keep aloof 
from the rest and look sour. About noon the 
lookout reported a vessel in sight and there 
was a general rush to the top of the ice stair- 
way. They built a fire and waived their coats 
and yelled or screamed as lustily as they could, 
but the ship was ten or twelve miles away and 


1 80 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 


all their efforts to attract attention were un- 
availing. 

This experience disheartened a good many, 
but Watson and the professor seemed even 
more cheerful. 

“We don’t need to go to pieces over that,” 
said the former reassuringly. “We’ve just 
had proof that we’re in the path of vessels, for 
that was a goodsized steamer and looked as if 
it was following a much-traveled course.” 

On returning to the beach they found two 
of the set-lines drawn taut and swaying from 
side to side as if a desperate struggle were 
going on at the far end of each. With no small 
difficulty the lines were pulled in, a large king 
herring being found on one and a fair sized 
cod on the other. In the course of the after- 
noon, this success was virtually duplicated 
twice, so that a moderate supper was afforded 
the iceberg-crusoes. 

While this meal gave temporary relief, it 
was not sufficient to answer the heat demands 
of more than two score human bodies that had 
fasted under such severe conditions. Hence 
it served conspicuously to stimulate the dis- 
content of the “sullen six.” They kept to- 
gether and avoided the others most of the 
time, so that Watson’s suspicion of trouble 
brewing was kept alive constantly. 

“I don’t like the action of our friends over 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 1 8 1 

there,” he remarked to the professor in the 
hearing of Guy and Carl not long before sun- 
down. “I think it’ll be wise to keep an eye on 
them.” 

“What do you think they’re likely to do?” 
inquired the professor not very seriously. 
“Kill us all and eat us?” 

“Oh, no; not that bad. But they’ve got 
something up their sleeves.” 

Guy “went to bed” that night with the hor- 
ribly humorous suggestion of Prof. Anderson 
on his mind. This together with the fears 
earlier expressed concerning the Gulf stream 
and a breaking up and turning over of the ice- 
berg, prevented him for several hours from 
sleeping. He lay near the entrance of the cave 
a few feet from the fire. Watson, the profes- 
sor, and Glennon were lying near him, all ap- 
parently asleep. On the opposite side of the 
fire was the watchman. The watches were an 
hour each, and during the time that Guy lay 
awake several men were relieved. About mid- 
night according to the boy’s reckoning, Gun- 
seyt toolt his turn. 

During all this time Guy had not spoken 
to any of the men on watch. He longed to go 
to sleep and lay quietly in a constant endeavor 
to lose consciousness and forget the fearful- 
ness of the ever increasing dangers that sur- 
rounded him. But it seemed that every fibre 


1 82 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

of his nervous system was too much alive to 
encourage a suggestion of slumber. He was 
very hungry, too, and if it had not been for 
the one comfort of the warm atmosphere of 
the cave, there would have been no limit to his 
wretchedness, mental and physical. 

And the appearance of Mr. Gunseyt on duty 
did not tend to lesson his discomfort and ap- 
prehension, but tended rather to increase the 
latter. No sooner had the man whom Gunseyt 
relieved laid down than the new sentinel be- 
gan to look around him in a manner hardly 
reassuring to the boy who watched him with 
half-open eyes. The man who last preceded 
him fell asleep almost immediately, while the 
leader of the malcontents appeared to observe 
this with a good deal of satisfaction. Ten 
minutes elapsed, during which time the watch- 
man kept his eyes fastened on the man who 
had just lain down. Then he turned to the 
fire and put on some more fuel. This done, he 
made a hasty examination of all the supposed 
sleepers as if to find out if everybody indeed 
was lost in slumber. 

The inspection appeared to satisfy him. 
He stooped down and gently shook one of the 
men, who arose quickly as if he had expected 
such an awakening. Then another and another 
and another were awakened in like manner, 
until six men stood around the fire whispering 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


183 


to one another and gazing furtively at their 
reclining companions. Guy recognized them 
as the seamen and the passengers who appear- 
ed to have accepted Gunseyt as their leader in 
opposing the saner and more human will of 
the majority. 

As he watched the men, he wondered that 
Watson and the professor had consented to 
permit any of them to be on sentinel duty 
alone. He even wondered why he himself had 
not made an objection. Probably they were 
even now bent on some sort of mischief. Pres- 
ently they turned to the entrance where Gun- 
seyt pushed out the blocks of ice in the lower 
section of the doorway. Then they got down 
on their hands and knees, one after another, 
and crawled out, after which they replaced the 
blocks of ice, and Guy was unable to see what 
more they did. 

But the boy did not remain quiet “in his 
bed” after the disappearance of the men. He 
arose and went to the entrance, where he pull- 
ed inward the lower blocks of ice and peered 
out. He could see their shadowy forms mov- 
ing diagonally across the lower area. Then 
he crawled out to get a clearer view, for the 
night was still cloudy and he could not see a 
great distance. 

“Fll look into this business a little before 
I wake anybody up,” he decided. 


1 84 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

He stood at the head of the steps leading 
up to the cave and watched the men as they 
walked down across the area toward the other 
side near the water’s edge. Several times 
some of them looked back, while Guy hugged 
the wall of ice for concealment. 

“My goodness !” 

Suddenly it dawned upon the mind of the 
boy what the men were up to. They were 
making for the stairway over the peak of the 
iceberg. 

“They’re going to the Eskimos’ camp !” he 
muttered. “I must wake Watson.” 

He turned to carry out this purpose, but 
slipped and almost fell into the arms of some- 
one who had just risen to his feet after crawl- 
ing through the entrance. Guy recognized 
him. 

“Oh, Mr. Watson !” gasped the boy. “Those 
men!” 

“I know all about them,” replied the other 
grimly. “I’ve been watching them too. Come 
on.” 

Watson led the way down the steps of ice. 


CHAPTER XIX 


The “Iceberglars” 

As they reached the foot of the steps, Guy 
heard a noise behind him and turned to behold 
a new surprise. Several other men, including 
the professor and Carl, also were coming 
down. 

‘T thought everybody except those ras- 
cals was asleep,’’ he said to Watson. 

‘‘Not quite,” replied the operative. “We 
were expecting this.” 

“Why didn’t you let me in on it?” 

“Well,” said Watson apologetically, “you’re 
a boy, and we thought we’d keep you out of 
the trouble.” 

Guy’s pride was a little hurt at this, inas- 
much as Glennon, who was only two years his 
senior, had been included in the “man class.” 
However, in the last two years this “man-boy” 
had developed in physical proportions that 
commanded the respect of even the big'- 
framed Watson. 

Guy counted eight persons, including him^ 
self and Watson, in this second party from the 

185 


1 86 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

ice-cave. They followed the first party toward 
the big stairway, moving stealthily and speak- 
ing only in whispered tones lest the men ahead 
discover them. 

“Have you all been lying awake ail this 
time?” Burton inquired after the last man 
of the second party had appeared. 

“Yes,” replied Watson. “I overheard some- 
thing that gave away the whole plot.” 

“What’re they planing to do?— take the 
Eskimos’ dogs from them?” 

“Yes — and more. They want to feed our 
two arctic friends to the fishes and take pos- 
session of their cave.” 

“And there’s going to be a fight,” said Guy 
apprehensively. 

“Perhaps. But maybe it won’t be neces- 
sary. The Eskimos have been warned. The 
Iceberglars may step into a trap.” 

“ ‘Iceberglars’ is good,” laughed Glennon. 

The men ahead were out of sight soon after 
the other party left the cave. View of them 
was shut off by a high “banister” of ice bet- 
ween the lower area and the big stairway 
Presently the secret service operative and his 
followers rounded the end of this “banister” 
and could see dimly the forms of the invaders 
halfway to the top. 

As rapidly as possible, those in the rear 
moved up the ascent and down the other side. 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 187 

There was little danger of their being discover- 
ed now, so, they climbed and descended with 
all the speed consistant with safety. 

The men of evil intentions continued their 
advance, thoughtless of pursuit. They reach- 
ed the foot of the descent, where their move- 
ments were less distinct, as they had arrived 
at a veritable pocket in the ice with a compar- 
atively narrow opening to sea ward. 

“They haven’t got any weapons, have 
they?” Guy inquired. 

“They’ve got clubs they picked out of the 
wreckage of the raft and probably every one 
of them has a pocketknife,” Carl replied. “See? 
— ^We’ve got clubs too.” 

“They had their clubs hidden at the foot 
of the stairs on the other side,” Watson ex- 
plained. “There may be a big fight pretty 
soon. You better get back in the rear, Guy, 
as you haven’t any weapon.” 

The latter was no coward, but he could not 
deny that this was good advice. So he decided 
to keep in the background, but to watch for 
an opportunity to assist his friends. 

Watson, however, had planned to avoid a 
serious encounter. This feature of his plan he 
had not revealed, as he did not wish any half 
hearted assistants. He knew that he^ could 
expect his men to act like real soldiers if they 
enlisted with the expectation of a severe hand- 


1 88 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 


to-hand struggle. Twenty or thirty feet from 
the lower landing, he halted and held out both 
hands as a signal for those behind to do like- 
■wdse. It appeared that the invaders were 
holding a council of war. 

Presently, however, activity was observed 
at the entrance of the Eskimo cave, and Wat- 
son knew it was time for him to play his 
trump card. Guy saw him make a sudden 
move with his right hand, which was followed 
instantly by an explosion. He had fired a 
pistol in the air. 

The astonishment of the party below al- 
though of different character, could hardly 
have been much greater than that of Watson’s 
companions. Immediately after the discharge 
of the firearm, the two Eskimos appeared at 
the entrance of the cave, holding the dogs in 
leash. The latter howled fiercely and tugged 
hard to break loose. Apparently it was all 
the Greenlanders could do to keep them from 
the intruders. The latter were dumfounded. 
A quick look back and upward and another 
at the dogs and the two skin-clad figures from 
the far north were enough to convince each 
of them that further hostile movements on 
their part would be dangerous. 

So they decided on a change of front. Gun- 
seyt, who had been leader of this move, took 
it on himself to “explain” the situation. Turn- 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


189 


ing to the party on the stairway, he called out 
in “squeak-roar” tones: 

“What’s the matter up there? Have you 
men turned renegade, and are you fighting 
against your own race? You ought to be 
ashamed of yourselves.” 

“About the only thing on this iceberg that 
we’re ashamed of is you,” Watson retorted. 
“We don’t want to waste any time on you 
either. Just make a good resolution, now, and 
trot right back to your own dooryard or we’ll 
instruct the Eskimos to let their dogs loose.” 

“We just came over to have a friendly visit 
with these Eskimos,” declared Gunseyt, with 
well assumed indignation. “It’s true we were 
going to ask them for some favors, but every- 
thing was to be friendly on our part.” 

“I might ask you what you were going to 
do with those clubs in your hands, but I won’t,” 
Watson retorted. “I know already.” 

“All right. If you know so much, there’s 
no use arguing with you. But we don’t con- 
sider that we’re responsible to you for any of 
our actions, Mr. Watson, and, what’s more, we 
don’t propose to be dictated to by you. But 
I’ll say for the benefit of the others of your 
party that we brought these clubs to protect 
ourselves against the dogs if they should be- 
come ugly, and it seems the precaution was 
taken very wisely.” 


1 90 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

“Never mind explaining to anybody, but 
do as I tell you,” Watson ordered. “I over- 
heard your conversation with Everleigh and 
Little. You go back to our side, and we’ll have 
a settlement of this matter tomorrow. As for 
you three sailors, take my advice and don’t 
mix any more than you have to with those 
other fellows. They’re a bad set.” 

The six invaders obeyed sullenly, retiring 
to the other side of the iceberg and into the 
cave. They were not forced to give up their 
clubs, as Watson and the professor wished to 
avoid any move they might be unable to carry 
to success without bloodshed. However, the 
defenders of the Etekimos held a conference 
outside after the others had disappeared. 

“We ought to have a sentinel stationed out 
here the rest of the night,” Prof. Anderson 
suggested. “It isn’t safe to give those fel- 
lows a chance to get the upper hand. There’s 
no telling what they might do.” 

“I wonder if the sailors will stick with 
these rascals after this,” said a Bostonian 
named Hammond. 

“They’re a pretty sullen sort, and I don’t 
think you can expect much civilization in 
them,” replied Watson. 

“Who are Everleigh and Little? ?” Carl in- 
quired. “Do you know anything about them? 
I hadn’t heard their names mentioned before.” 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


191 


“They’re a couple of crooks, professional 
gamblers, ocean card sharks, living on steam- 
ers most of the time, playing with rich easy 
marks.” 

“Is Gunseyt a crook?” asked Guy. 

“Sure ; he’s one of the worst — splays for big 
game, but not much with cards.” 

Guy would have liked to inquire further 
regarding the “man with the changeable 
voice,” but decided that it was not best to do 
so at present. He concluded it was best to 
wait for an opportunity to speak alone with 
Watson on the matter. 

“We’ve got to do something to protect the 
women here,” observed the professor pres- 
ently. “Two of them are ill already, and some 
of us men are going to prove weaker than the 
others pretty soon. We mustn’t let the strong 
override the weak, and we’ve got to conserve 
our rescources.” 

“Let’s call a meeting in the morning and 
discuss the situation,” Watson proposed. “I 
would suggest that nothing be said at that 
meeting about what occurred to-night. Those 
rascals ought to be watched, but we must not 
do anything to divide us into two hostile fac- 
tions. We’ll appeal to the men as men and 
ask for a vote on any proposed measure.” 

“That’s a good idea,” commended Prof. 
Anderson. 


1 92 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

“But the immediate question is, who is go- 
ing to do sentinel duty from now until day- 
break.” Watson continued. “Bm willing to for 
one. Who’ll stay out here with me to keep 
me from getting lonesome?” 

“I will,” Guy volunteered eagerly. 

Nobody objected to his usurping the priv- 
ilege, and so it was thus agreed. The other 
men accordingly reentered the cave, while Guy 
and Watson began to pace up and down the 
area to keep warm. 

The boy had several reasons for wishing to 
watch with his interesting friend. The episode 
just closed had put a new complexion on af- 
fairs. He wished to have a long talk with 
Watson? He had numerous questions to ask. 
Moreover, he felt that he would not be able to 
sleep now, and he believed that he could pass 
a more confortable night pacing the ice with 
some one who could converse sympathetic- 
ally with him. 

“Mr. Watson,” he began; “Fd like to ask 
you some questions.” 

“Fire away,” replied the other sentinel. 
“What’s on your mind?” 

“I don’t know just how to open it, but I 
guess I may as well be blunt. The truth is, 
you’re a mystery to me. A few days ago, you 
know, I thought you were a bad egg. But I’ve 
had good reason to change my mind. Still, 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


193 


you’re a mystery, and you’ll continue to be one 
until you’ve told me who you are.” 

“You’ll have to explain what you mean,” 
replied Watson quizzically. “There are many 
ways I might tell you who I am. I might begin 
by telling you my name; but you know that 
already, don’t you?” 

“I don’t know.” 

“Why not?” 

“Because you haven’t assured me that Wat- 
son is your right name. Is it?” 

“No.” 

“So far so good. Now, am I too inquisitive 
if I ask you what your business is ?” 

“I’m what is commonly known as a detec- 
tive, but my more dignified title is secret ser- 
vice operative.” 

“I thought so.” 


CHAPTER XX 
“Jump as Far as You Can!” 

“You’re a pretty smart boy,” said Watson 
appreciatively. “But Fm not half so much 
interested in how and where you got your in- 
formation as I am in the question as to what 
bearing it has on conditions here.” 

“That’s easily explained,” replied Burton. 
“You’re the leader here. Nearly everybody 
looks to you for advice. At first I thought 
you were a bad actor; then I changed my 
opinion, but still you puzzled me. You’re such 
an important person here, I wanted every 
doubt removed.” 

“Who told you I was a detective?” 

“I don’t know. Glennon and I overheard a 
conversation between two men on the steamer. 
They didn’t know anybody was near, and we 
couldn’t see them.” 

“One of these men was Gunseyt, wasn’t 
he?” inquired the operative. 

“How do you know?” 

“I don’t know; Fm asking you. And I 

194 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


195 


might ask you the same question that you 
asked me: How do you know?” 

“I could tell his voice, or Fve identified it 
since.” 

“I thought so. Now, I’m not going to tell 
you how I know it, but the other fellow was 
either Everleigh or Little.” 

“I shouldn’t be surprised if he was,” said 
Guy. “But I never would have guessed it.” 

“It isn’t entirely a guess on my part,” as- 
sured Watson. “I have some knowledge on 
the subject.” 

“Who is this fellow Gunseyt?” 

“I could tell you some interesting things 
about him, but not at present. Just to ease 
your mind a bit, however. I’ll inform you that 
I took passage on the steamer to watch him in 
particular and certain others incidentally. If 
we ever get off this iceberg, I’m going to land 
him in jail. That’s all I can say about him at 
present. Regarding myself, I might tell you 
my true name, but I prefer to be known as 
Watson for the time being and avoid com- 
plications.” 

Guy was well pleased with the interview. 
He felt on easier terms with the operative now. 
The latter’s frankness, coupled with an un- 
mistable professional shrewdness, inspired 
confidence and respect. 

The two paced around most of the time to 


1 96 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

keep their feet warm. Meanwhile they suf- 
fered much from hunger, realizing that a lack 
of sufficient food was rapidly telling on their 
ability to stand the exposure. This inspired 
Guy with a suggestion that they utilize their 
time to double advantage by fishing. 

V “You’ve often heard that fish bite better 
at night than in the daytime,” he said. “Let’s 
set the lines and see if we can’t surprise the 
others with a big catch in the morning.” 

“That’s a good idea,” agreed the other sen- 
tinel. “Do you know, I believe that very 
suggestion is going to prove our salvation.” 

Watson “made a dive’ ’ for the niche in 
which the fishing tackle had been pocketed, 
and soon returned with the four lines and a 
small piece of dog meat. In a few minutes they 
had baited the hooks and sunk them into the 
water, fastening the other ends of the lines to 
large “boulders” or projections of ice. 

Scarcely were all the lines set, it seemed, 
when a fierce tugging was observed at one of 
them; then, a moment later, at another. Ea- 
gerly they tried the first one and had all they 
could do to pull in a magnificent herring. The 
other held a smaller fellow of the same kind. 

But this was not all. The second fish was 
hardly dragged back on the ice when a violent 
jerking was observed on another line, and 
then on the fourth. Their luck continued thus 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


197 


for an hour or more until they found them- 
selves almost exhausted with hard work in a 
weakened physical condition. Then Guy 
counted their catch, and found they had twen- 
ty-six magnificent fellows, principally cod. At 
first it seemed that there was a school of king 
herring near the iceberg, but after half an 
hour’s fishing, only cod took the hooks. 

I'wo happier persons than these ocean an- 
glers could hardly have been found anywhere. 
They forgot the other dangers that threaten- 
ed them, for the immediate problem of life on 
the iceberg had been solved. 

They continued to sink their baited lines 
with gratifying success until after midnight. 
Then their bait gave out, and they cut a small 
herring into bits and used these on the hooks. 
It is proverbial that codfish will swallow al- 
most anything, even rivaling in this respect 
the goat of tin-can fame; and they surely 
lived up to their reputation so far as the her- 
ring bait was concerned. 

As an experiment, Guy put a piece of ser- 
rated backbone on one of the hooks and a 
“great-big” cod promptly swallowed it. 

They w^ere undisturbed in their occupa- 
tion. The would-be invaders of the Eskimo 
camp did not reappear. Apparently they had 
decided that another attempt would prove as 
futile as the first and gave it up as a bad job. 


i 98 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

In the early hours of the morning the fish did 
not bite so eagerly, but Guy and Watson 
angled until daybreak, resolving not to be 
satisfied virith any degree of success as long as 
there was hope for more. 

After daybreak, when most of the ice cave 
lodgers had appeared, another count was 
made, and it was found that they had sixty- 
nine as fine fish as any sportsman could wish to 
catch. The delight of the hungry castaways 
would be hard to describe. They almost went 
wild over the display of finny food. They over- 
whelmed the two fishers with congratulations 
and could hardly wait for the cooking of their 
breakfast. 

That was a joyful repast. It put new life 
into everyone. Those who had shown signs 
of serious illness seemed to revive, and the 
general air of cheerfulness was remarkable. 
Even Gunseyt and his “pals” took a more 
“possible” and optimistic view of things. 

After breakfast, Watson, Prof. Anderson, 
Burton and Glennon went over to the Eskimo 
camp to announce their success and to offer 
them a share of the catch. But the Green- 
landers had not been asleep to the opportuni- 
ty. They also had discovered the school and 
had caught a supply greater than their needs 
for as long a time as the iceberg could remain 
habitable. 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


199 


The fish continued to bite fairly well 
during the day and by nightfall the number 
“in cold storage” was seventy-five, after every- 
body had had as much as he could eat. Early 
in the day the professor declared that if the 
temperature would only remain below freezing 
and the iceberg did not drift into warm water, 
there was little reason why they could not 
live on their floating island for several days 
yet. This must mean that they surely would 
be rescued. 

But these apprehended possibilities were 
just what happened. On the afternoon fol- 
lowing the big catch they did drift into warm- 
er water and the temperature did rise. Tiny 
streams were soon running down the sides of 
the mountain of ice. Everybody was alive to 
the peril and the lookout for vessels was main- 
tained more keenly and nervously. Three 
ships were sighted, and frantic efforts were 
made to attract attention, but without happy 
result. Only one vessel approached within 
five miles of the iceberg, and that was a liner, 
which plowed past as grandly as if it disdained 
even to take notice of so insignificant a thing 
as a mass of ice half a mile long and several 
hundred feet high in places. 

“They’d never see us unless someone 
abroad happened to be looking this way vidth 


200 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

glasses,” observed Glennon. “Fm afraid our 
chances are pretty slim.” 

And to make matters worse, on the next 
day the temperature rose still higher and the 
water became still warmer. Watson and Guy 
slept a few hours that day and on the succeed- 
ing night they took up their watch with set 
lines again. They caught thirty fish ; but the 
atmosphere became scarcely any cooler before 
sunrise, a fact that made it seem foolish to 
angle for more than were needed for a very 
few meals. 

This means weVe got to attract some- 
body's attention mighty quick,” Watson de- 
clared as day was breaking. “No doubt the 
water has already undermined this berg to a 
dangerous extent and a little more will finish 
the business.” 

The operative was not given to making 
forecasts of trouble unless there was imminent 
danger ahead. But Guy resolved as on several 
other occasions not to become panic stricken. 
They still possessed their life jackets, and in 
a mild atmosphere and temperate sea, they 
could hope still to live some hours. 

Although it did not become as warm that 
day as had been anticipated, they all put on 
their life jackets and continued to wear them. 
The women who had been ill showed signs of 
physical improvement, and the men by virtue 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


201 


of plenty to eat, retained most of their normal 
strength. This was a fortunate condition of 
affairs, as it was hardly to be expected that so 
many persons could withstand such exposure 
so successfully. 

On the next night a watch was kept for a 
different reason from that which inspired the 
first. The fear that Gunseyt would attempt 
another invasion of the Eskimo quarters had 
vanished. No one any longer had appetite 
for dog steak inasmuch as plenty of fish 
was on hand. But there was imminent 
danger of the iceberg’s breaking in numerous 
places, and it was deemed wise to be constant- 
ly on the alert lest the occupants of the cave 
be drowned there like rats in a trap. 

All day a strong north wind had blown, 
driving the mass of ice as well as many others 
in the neighborhood, rapidly southward. In 
the night the wind grew stronger and the 
waves higher. Every now and then could be 
heard the splash of tons of ice breaking off 
and plunging into the sea. But the eqilibrium 
of the berg was not disturbed, and morning 
dawned, with the inhabitants of the ice-island 
still safe. 

As the day advanced the temperature con- 
tinued to rise, the ice melted more and more, 
and greater pieces fell and more thunderous 
splashes were heard. However, the stairway 


202 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

in the ice was not seriously impared, so that 
they were able to maintain their lofty lookout 
without interruption or inconvenience. 

Three or four miles olf to the northwest 
they saw and heard the breaking up of an ice- 
berg half the size of the one on which they 
had taken refuge. It seemed to split in two 
right in the middle, while the reports of its 
explosion sounded like a naval battle. Occa- 
sional inspection was made of the faring of 
the Eskimos, but they proved as fortunate as 
the larger party in escaping injury from the 
falling ice. Meanwhile the fishing continued 
with fairly good success, so that the food ques- 
tion gave them only secondary concern. 

About noon of their fourth day on the ice- 
berg it was decided that the cave must be 
abandoned, and those who were inside were 
called out and warned against returning. The 
discussion convinced them also that they must 
leave the "shore” area and climb to a loftier 
position, as the falling ice rendered the 
“beach” a place of much danger. Several huge 
pieces had struck so near to some of the men 
that they narrowly escaped serious injury or 
death. 

Accordingly the entire party sought great- 
er safety on the upper landing of the big stair- 
way. Their fish, of which they had nearly a 
hundred, were removed to this spot, also such 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 203 

fuel as they had been able to conserve from all 
sources. 

The camp of the Eskimos seemed to be fair- 
ly safe, for there were no great overhanging 
projections threatening to fall and crush them. 
Over the entrance of the other “grotto,” how- 
ever, there was a huge bluif, or “forehead,” 
that frowned threateningly, and it was prin- 
cipally to escape this, when it should fall, that 
the migration aloft was made. 

An hour after they moved upward, the 
“forehead” fell with a ponderous crash. 
Hundreds of tons of ice were let loose, and so 
great was the mass and the gap left in its 
place, that Guy expected the berg to shift its 
center of gravity and roll over at once. He 
braced himself for the expected, but the ex- 
pected did not come. The area and the front 
of the cave itself were demolished. 

The women did not scream. Their recent 
experience had almost deprived them of acute 
sensibility. No one suffered from cold now; 
but 50 degrees below zero could hardly have 
made them more numb than did the seeming 
certainty of their fate. 

The question of the advisability of their 
taking to the water at once, with their life 
jackets around them, was discussed, but no- 
body argued strongly in fayor of the proposi- 
tion. Such a move, all were agreed, must be a 


204 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

last resort for the preservation of their lives. 
In the water the chance of their being spied 
and picked up by a passing vessel must be 
very small. From a high point on the iceberg 
they could keep a much better lookout and also 
fly a flag of distress. This they decided was 
their best hope, although now desperately 
slim. ^ 

Of course they realized thart there was 
grave danger of their being dragged under 
the iceberg when it rolled over, or of meeting 
even a more tgirible fate if caught in the 
violence of an explosion of the ice. However, 
they decided that they could guard against 
such danger only with the most cautious 
watchfulness. Fortunately, on either side of 
the elevation on which they stood was a rough 
irregular ridge of ice, which would afford an 
excellent foothold by means of which they 
could keep from slipping off until the iceberg 
had tipped to an angle of 45 degrees or more 
from the perpendicular. 

For an hour after moving to the head of 
the stairway, they stood and watched and 
listened to the exploding and crashing of the 
ice. Meanwhile the Eskimos, realizing the im- 
pending danger, joined them. Finally Watson 
observed a slight northward listing of the 
mass. “It’s coming,” he said to himself. 
Others observed the ominous change, and 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


205 


only the appearance of an unexpected hope 
averted a panic. 

This hope consisted of a tiny speck on the 
surface of the ocean several miles to the north- 
east One of the women was first to see it, 
and with an hysterical cry she pointed toward 
the object. 

“It’s a boat,” said one of the seamen after 
gazing eagerly for a minute or two. “But 
what’s she doing way out here. She can’t be 
m-ore’n sixty or seventy feet long.” 

Nevertheless, even so sm: 11 a vessel was a 
a Godsend to the hope-forsaken castaways. 
Oh, if they could only attract her attention ! 

They shouted, they screamed, they pulled 
off their coats and waved them frantically. 
Two of the men started a fire with some drift- 
wood, raft decking and fish bones that had 
been preserved for just such purpose as this. 
For twenty minutes or more they were held 
in an agony of uncertainty, while the iceberg 
tipped almost to an unsafe angle. Then the 
thrill of hope grew stronger and stronger as 
they saw and realized that the^^boat was head- 
ed directly toward them. Nearer and nearer 
it came. Now it was so near that the forms of 
persons on board could be distinguished. A 
little nearer, and yes, they had seen the cast- 
aways and were signaling to them. 

The upper landing of the icy stairway was 


206 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

how a scene of the wildest joy. Men hugged 
each other and wept. Indeed, the women were 
not more hysterical than their male compan- 
ions. But while the boat was about half a 
mile distant and the castaways were almost 
reaching out to be received in the arms of 
friends, the long expected climax came. 

The breaking of the ice had continued with 
frequent splittings and spashes, but these 
noises were almot unnoticed after the purpose 
of the rescuers had been determined Guy 
was one of the few quieter ones. But there 
was a singular reason for his silence. He was 
gazing intently at the little vessel, wondering, 
doubting his sense of vision — ^yes, no, yes — 
could it be possible? 

Just as he was about to give vent to a new 
shout of joy, a cry of another kind from one 
of the women checked its utterance. The 
cause needed no explaining. It was immedi- 
ately evident. At last the floating island was 
slowly rolling over, 

“Everybody jump out as far as possible 
before we slip off,” shouted Watson. 

Guy saw the operative instructing one of 
the women how to leap. The professor in- 
structed another. Everybody tried to keep his 
balance as long as possible. It was a mighty 
turning ©f a mighty mass and took some little 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 207 

time. Now it seemed impossible longer to keep 
from slipping. 

“Keep your heads and jump far out,” 
shouted Watson. “Now, jump.” 

How many made the leap successfully, 
Guy could not see. The next moment he was 
in the water, while a terrific Niagara of noise 
filled his ears. 


CHAPTER XXI 
Searching the Sea 

The Jetta was built for both speed and 
rough weather. She was fifty feet long, and 
her other proportions carried with them lines 
of beauty and grace, as well as “a good pair of 
heels.” She had a six-cylinder, 200-horse 
power gasoline engine, capable of driving the 
yacht, on a smooth sea, at the rate of 22 miles 
an hour. 

Architecturally the little vessel was de- 
signed with a view to practical use of all the 
space within her. Just back of the fore peak 
was the galley, with sink, ice box, cooking 
stove, and various other ‘‘food factory” ac- 
cessories and conveniences. Abaft this layout 
was a large cabin, with Pullman berths on 
either side. Amidships were two staterooms, 
with lockers and breths, and back of these was 
the engine room, flanked by two large fuel 
tanks and locker batteries. Overhead was a 
large well-glazed deck house, connecting 
directly with the galley and serving conven- 
iently as a combined observation cabin and 
208 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 209 

dining saloon. A forward portion of the deck 
house was partitioned off for the pilot and 
contained steering wheel, engine controls, 
chart case, log, ship’s clock, thermometers, 
barometer, compass and sextant. 

There was little conversation on board the 
Jetta for several hours following her mid- 
night departure. After getting her started 
and seeing that all was running well, Walter 
turned the engine over to Tony and returned 
to his wireless instruments. There, with re- 
ceivers to his ears, he waited eagerly for new 
messages regarding the wrecked steamer and 
her passengers. Occasionally he would call 
down through the speaking tube to find out if 
everything was going well in the engine room, 
.:.nd Tony would always inquire if he had 
caught any new messages of importance. 
Penally Walter, in reply to one of these ques- 
tions, revealed his hopeful secret by remark- 
ing casually: 

‘‘Nothing new of much importance. There’s 
a steamer hurrying to the rescue, but she’s 
over a hundred miles away from the Hercul- 
anea, and it’ll take her several hours to reach 
the WTeck. By that time it’ll be all over, and 
all they can do is pick up the boats.” 

“It’ll take us two days and one night at 
least to reach the wreck,” said Tony. “What 
do you expect to find then?” 


2 1 0 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET ^VICE; 

“To tell the truth, I don’t really expect to 
find anything. But I’m going to search the 
sea all around, and if we’re unsuccessful, we’ll 
at least have the satisfaction of knowing we 
did our best.” 

But Walter did not tell Tony all that was 
in his mind. He had a great fear that he 
would find a number of rafts supporting the 
bodies of many passengers who had succumb- 
ed to starvation and exposure, and that two of 
them would prove to be his mother’s and Guy’s. 
He preferred, however, to keep this fear to 
himself, for he knew that neither Tony nor 
Det could offer him any reassurance. 

The wireless information regarding the 
Herculanea was too clear and definite to allow 
of much doubt. The operator had said that a 
great hole had been blown by some mysterious 
explosion in the forward part of the ship and 
that she was rapidly filling and going down. 
At first it was believed that she had struck an 
iceberg, as the Titanic had done, but investiga- 
tion proved this impossible and indicated al- 
most beyond question that a floating contact 
mine had caused the disaster. 

During the night the Jetta kept well out 
from the shore in order to avoid running onto 
rocks. True, there was a strong head-light in 
the bow, but Det did not wish to depend on 
this and his limited knowledge of the coast to 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


211 


carry them on safely. In the daytime they 
continued along in sight of the shore until they 
reached Halifax, where they stopped for 
gasoline and some additional provisions. 
They also inquired for news regarding 
the Herculanea and were astonished at the 
ignorance of everybody to whom they spoke 
on the subject. Walter bought a copy of 
every newspaper he could find but not a 
line did any of them contain concerning the 
wreck. Deeply mystified, he returned to the 
yacht. 

From Halifax they proceeded northward 
and in a few hours were out of sight of land. 
Shortly before noon Walter caught several 
messages from the rescue ship, which had 
reached the scene of the disaster, picked up 
several boats and rafts loaded with pas- 
sengers and was making for New York. This 
was good news in itself, but was accompanied 
with the announcement that a considerable 
number of the passengers and crew had 
perished. 

Then followed a long succession of mes- 
sages from the rescued to relatives and friends 
ashore. Walter listened eagerly to these, 
hoping to catch one from his mother and 
brother. For half an hour he suffered the 
keenest of hoping and despairing suspense: 


2 1 2 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 


then came the following, addressed to Mr. 
Burton: 

‘‘Mrs. Burton safe. Guy missing.’’ 

A great thrill of joy leaped into Walter’s 
heart and mind as he read the first three words 
of this message ; then the reaction of the last 
two words depressed him almost as violently. 
What had become of his brother? The 
message gave no hint. How he longed to be 
able to flash back a message to his mother that 
he was racing over the sea to search for Guy I 

After leaving Halifax, no more land was 
sighted on the outward course. Fortunately 
the sea was not very rough any of the time. 
On the second night a rather stiff breeze blew 
from the north, but the waves did not rise 
very high, and the progress of the Jetta was 
little impeded. Next day and the following 
night the wind blew still stronger, but the 
yacht still rode jauntily over the swell of the 
ocean. 

On the second day they reached, as they 
believed, the vicinity of the disaster, but dark- 
ness gathered before they could make any 
headway with their search. Then they ar- 
ranged to pass the night in much needed rest 
and sleep. Det had the first watch, Tony the 
second, and Walter the third. Before day- 
break Walter prepared breakfast and then 
called his companions. By the time they had 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


213 


eaten, it was light enough to begin their hunt 
for survivors of the wreck. 

From one of the lockers in the cabin, Wal- 
ter produced a pair of strong binoculars, and 
with these he swept the ocean in all directions, 
but found nothing of interest. There was a 
little ice here and there, but no icebergs were 
discovered. Then Det made calculations again 
and decided that they ought to proceed thirty 
miles to the southheast in order to reach the 
exact latitude and longitude specified by the 
Herculanea operator. 

The course of the Jetta was accordingly 
set in that direction. On account of the in- 
creasing amount of ice, it was deemed safest to 
run at a moderate rate of speed so that three 
hours elapsed before the old sailor announced 
that they had reached approximately the 
locality sought for. Meanwhile Walter con- 
tinued to sweep the sea with the glasses and 
discovered a large iceberg off to the southwest 
and several smaller ones to the east and north- 
east. 

“That’s a whopper off there,” declared Det, 
as he gazed through the glasses at the largest 
One. “I think we’d better make toward it The 
wireless messages mentioned a big iceberg 
near the wreck, you say.” 

“Do you think that’s the one?” mqoired 
Tony. 


2 1 4 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 


“More’n likely. You see, the wreck happen- 
ed about here, and the wind is from the north. 
So it couldn’t ’a’ been any of those to the east 
or northeast.” 

“But what’s the use following the iceberg?” 
Tony asked. “The wind wouldn’t blow them 
in that direction unless they had a sail.” 

“That’s true ; but what’s to have prevented 
them from rigging up a sail? Anyway, it’s the 
most likely direction for them to take as it’s 
toward home. I’ve got an idea that if we find 
anybody at all, we’ll find ’em on the other side 
o’ that berg.” 

The element of doubt in Det’s words, made 
Walter gloomy. The vision of so much sea 
with nothing else in sight but ice and icebergs 
and a birdless sky rendered him the more sus- 
ceptible of hopelessness. 

“If we find anything — ” he began, and then 
stopped. He had had in mind to conclude the 
sentence, “it’ll be dead bodies,” but a lump 
came up in his throat, and he could go no 
further. 

And before they had proceeded much farth- 
er, his fear was realized. Presently Walter’s 
glasses brought to his vision numerous small 
dark objects on the water, and in less than 
half an hour they were moving among half a 
hundred human bodies buoyed up with life 
jackets. 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


215 


There was little conversation now on board 
the Jetta. Tony, utterly discouraged, re- 
mained in the engine room most of the time. 
Walter and Det looked at each other with dull, 
heavy eyes. Must they examine all those 
bodies, or many of them, until they discovered 
the one whom they had come to rescue? 

“I can’t do it,” was all that Walter could 
say. “Let’s hunt farther, go around to the 
other side of that iceberg and then come back 
here if— if— we have to.” 

Det’s only reply was a reduction of speed. 
Then he looked ahead carefully to avoid strik- 
ing any of the floating bodies. Pretty soon 
Walter observed a small raft — ^the only raft 
in sight — a hundred feet distant, wnth two 
bodies lying on it. The face of one was toward 
him, and a chill of dread seized him as he re- 
cognized, or thought he recognized, the 
features. 

He signaled his suspicion to Det, who nod- 
ded his head. The yacht ran close to the raft 
and stopped, and Tony rushed on deck to see 
what had happened. Walter leaned over the 
rail and gazed at the face. Then he straight- 
ened up and announced with evident relief: 

“That isn’t Guy.” 

Det and Tony also agreed that the body of 
the young man on the raft was not that of 
their missing friend. But it was of about the 


2 1 6 RADIO BOY3 IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 


same size, and the facial contour, though not 
the features, was similar to that of Walter’s 
brother. 

Det put on full speed again. The run 
around the berg was uneventful, except that 
it revealed to them, far to the southward, 
another and far greater mountain of ice, 
which they had not observed before. Walter 
scanned the sea as far as his glasses would 
reach, south, east, and west, but without fruit- 
ful result. Then he said: 

“We’ve got just about enough time to go 
back and examine those bodies before dark. 
Let’s do that and in the morning start toward 
home, running farther to the south than we 
ran on our way here.” 

Just as they were about to start back for 
the sea-surface graveyard, Tony reported 
trouble with the engine, and Walter and Det 
made an investigation. The engine was spit- 
ting and coughing and behaved as if something 
was choking it An examination of the car- 
buretor disclosed that the latter was flooding 
and considerable gas was being wasted. 

Walter turned off the petcock on the feed 
line and then set to work to find out what was 
the cause of the flooding. He removed the 
carburetor and took it apart. Then he and 
Det looked over each part carefully to dis- 
cover if there was any dirt or other inter- 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


217 


ference preventing the closing of the needle 
valve. No trouble of this nature was dis- 
closed- Walter then substituted a new needle 
valve, reassembled the carburetor, and put it 
back in position. As he turned on the gasoline, 
everything seemed to be 0 K ; so he started the 
engine, but half a minute later it choked 
again. 

In this manner they worked over the engine 
several hours, taking the carburetor apart half 
a dozen times. The last time they discovered 
the real cause of the trouble, which consisted 
of several metal filings in the hole in which the 
needle valve was intended to fit. 

All this consumed much precious time, and 
when at last they had the engine apparently 
in good working order again, it was dark ; so 
they decided to defer the examination of the 
bodies of the shipwreck victims until morning. 
After supper they arranged watches and pre- 
pared to pass the night as comfortably as 
might be under the circumstances. 

Although the boy skipper instructed his 
companions to call him for the last watch, 
they did not obey his command. After he had 
turned in, they altered the program, dividing 
the night into two watches one for each. They 
knew that Walter was in need of mental and 
physical rest and determined that he should 
have it in spite of himself. And so the latter 


2 1 8 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

was much surprised, though refreshed, when 
ho was awakened at daybreak with the an- 
nouncement that breakfast was ready. 

After breakfast it was discovered that 
more work was needed on the engine. Several 
of the spark plugs were dirty, and the oil had 
thickened in the commutator, resulting in poor 
contact between the roller and the points. 
Hence, the sun was several hours high before 
they got back to the area of floating bodies. 

The examination of these bodies consumed 
more than an hour, and the relief of all may 
be realized as a look into the face of the last 
established the fact that Guy was not among 
them. 

“I might have known we wouldn’t find him 
here,” Walter declared. “Guy’s not the boy 
to die without making a nughty big effort to 
save himself, and I bet we’ll find him yet — 
alive.” 

“There’s one thing I’ve been wondering 
about,” Tony remarked; “and that is why 
there isn’t a regular regiment of sharks here 
devouring these bodies.” 

But he had hardly spoken when he wished 
he had not given utterance to the thought. A 
pained expression on Walter’s face indicated 
plainly the suggestion that was moving in his 
mind. Perhaps a number of sharks already 
had been there and departed and Guy’s body 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 2 1 9 

was one of those that had been devoured, or 
possibly he had been eaten alive ! 

Det offered no expert explanation of Tony's 
“wonder.” He felt that the subject had better 
be dropped ; so he said: 

“Well, now that we've finished, let's go and 
find Guy floating on a raft or in a boat.” 

This was a cheerful suggestion, and Wal- 
ter, with an effort, drove the shark theory out 
of his mind. The yacht was turned to the 
southwest, and the journey in search of a live 
brother was begun. They had not proceeded 
many boat-lengths, however, when Det 
stopped again at the side of the raft on which 
lay the body which had appeared so much like 
that of Guy on the day before. 

“What's the matter?” Walter inquired ap- 
prehensively. 

“Nothing,” replied the old sailor; “only I'm 
a little curious about that note book. I saw 
it there yesterday, but thought it a waste of 
time to look into it.” 

As he finished speaking, he stepped over 
the rail and onto the raft and took from the 
rigid left hand of the corpse a small, red- 
leather-bound book. Then he stepped back 
onto the deck of the Jetta and examined the 
object of his curiosity. The leather was welt- 
ed and warped as a result of wetting. The 


220 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE? 


leaves were celluloid, and there was pencil 
writing on them. 

Walter looked over Det’s shoulder as the 
latter turned the leaves and read. Tony also 
stood near and watched the proceeding. Pres- 
ently he started forward in wondering eager- 
ness when he saw the young skipper’s eyes 
almost pop out of his head vdth joy. The lat- 
ter unable longer to contain his ecstai^y, ex- 
claimed: 

“Det! Tony! I know where Guy is. He’s 
on the big iceberg that was near the Hercu- 
lanea when she went down.” 


CHAPTER XXII 
The Rescue. 

Pbllowing is the entry in the notebook that 
aroused Walter’s eagerness and enthusiasm: 

“My name is Edward Kilcrane. My home 
is in Richmond, Virginia. 

“After the last two boiler explosions, I 
jumped into the sea with hundreds of others. 
There were several rafts floating about, and 
I managed to get on this one with half a dozen 
other men. We came near being swamped in 
the suction when the Herculanea went down. 

“I wasn’t long in discovering I had broken 
my right leg. It struck something hard as I 
hit the water, probably a piece of ice or an 
edge of the raft. So I was nearly helpless. 
Four of the other men also were injured in 
some way. Ours was a regular hospital raft. 

“I saw two rafts paddle up to the iceberg 
and try to find a landing place. But they 
didn’t find any, so they moved along the edge 
and around the east end and disappeared. I 
hope they landed on the other side. We would 
have followed them, only we couldn't. The 
221 


222 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

oars that belonged to our raft had been torn 
off when it was tossed overboard probably. 
Anyway they were gone. I heard a man on 
one of the rafts suggest that they land on the 
ice and try to dry their clothes and keep warm 
by running around. 

“There isn’t much more to tell. My fingers 
are getting so numb I can’t write much more 
anyway. Two men on this raft got discourag- 
ed and slid off and drowned themselves. I 
think another will follow soon. 

“There’s $200 in my inside coat pocket. 
Send it to my mother, Mrs. Helen Kilcrane, 
Richmond, Virginia. 

“I’ll have to quit.” 

The last few lines were almost illegible. No 
doubt an icy paralysis was gripping the young 
man as he wrote. His difficulty became more 
and more evident as he neared the end. 

“Yes, the chances looked good for finding 
Guy on the iceberg,” said Tony as he finished 
reading. “But why didn’t we see them when 
we sailed around it?” 

“I don’t believe that’s the iceberg they 
landed on,” replied Walter. “I believe it’s the 
one farther on.” 

“I’ve been thinking’ that way myself,” Det 
interposed. “I believe that farthest one is the 
one near which the Herculanea sunk.” 


OR, CAST AWAY ON ANi ICEBERG 


223 


“Let’s make a run for it as fast as we can,” 
proposed Walter. 

“I’m agreeable,” said Det. “But first let’s 
get that money in this man’s pocket so’s we 
can send it to ’is mother. I think he deserves 
that much attention, don’t you, for giving us 
this valuable tip.” 

“He certainly does,” Walter admitted. 
Then as if in apology for his thoughtlessness, 
he stepped down onto the raft and began a 
search for the money. He soon drew out a 
long bill book, opened it, and found several 
bills of large denomination. Then he returned 
aboard. 

There being no occasion for further delay, 
the Jetta was started again, and soon she was 
running full speed to the southwest. In order 
to make certain regarding the possibility of 
there being any of the shipwrecked party on 
the first iceberg, the yacht was run around it, 
but no sign of life was discovered. Indeed, 
there appeared to be no place on which a man 
could have found footing near the water line. 
Then they dashed on toward the farther berg 
at full speed, as the intervening sea was com- 
paratively free of ice. 

“That ice is melting very fast,” observed 
Walter as the yacht bounded along, cutting 
through the crests of the waves in a manner 


224 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

that indicated much power and much gasoline 
explosion. “It’s lucky we’re no later, for in a 
few days more there mightn’t be much left for 
them to stand on.” 

Walter had rather an unscientific concep- 
tion of icebergs, and perhaps it was fortunate 
for his peace of mind that such was the case. 
He knew nothing of the manner in which a 
mountain of frozen water goes to pieces, or 
he would have realized that danger is im- 
minent at any time to a person cast away on 
one. Det, however, knew all about this; he 
was familiar with the shifting of the center of 
gravity, caused principally by the rapid melt- 
ing under the water line, and of the possibility 
that the great mass would roll over any 
minute. But he said nothing of this danger, 
hoping only that fortune would not prove so 
cruel as to place success seemingly within 
their grasp and then snatch it tantalizingly 
away. 

That the iceberg ahead was a gigantic af- 
fair was evident at first view. It was nearly 
an hour’s run from the one first visited. Five 
hundred feet high in places and half a mil^ 
long, it presented an imposing appearance 
miles distant. 

Walter soon trained his binoculars on it, 
and in a short time he had found signs of life. 
Eagerly he announced this discovery, and Det 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


225 


snatched the glasses from him and made a 
careful inspection. Yes, there could be no 
mistake. Tiny objects could be discerned 
moving about on a small plateau near one end. 
Det was certain they were human beings. 

In half an hour the iceberg Crusoes could 
be distinguished plainly, also, of course, the 
fire they had built. 

About this time Det began to realize the 
imminent danger not only to those on the ice- 
berg, but to the little yacht itself and its crew, 
and he warned his companions of what was 
likely soon to take place. The sound of 
breaking and falling ice grew more and more 
distinct Great spurs and bulky projections, 
weighing many tons each, broke loose with 
cracking, crushing noises and thundered into 
the water, churning it like a sea-coast ava- 
lanche. And the little yacht must run the risk 
of being crushed by one of these masses in 
order to get close enough to effect a rescue. 

Walter, Det and Tony have since agreed 
that fortune really worked happily not only 
for most of the endangered castaways, but 
also for the safety of the yacht. But before 
this was realized, the crew of the Jetta suf- 
fered mental tortures that no words can de- 
scribe. Walter had discovered Guy among 
those on the iceberg and had announced this 
discovery to hj^ companions. He could almost 


226 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 


feel his brother’s arms around him and hear b , 
sob of joy at their reunion, when he saw the 
great mass of ice begin slowly to tip over to- 
ward the yacht. 

It was indeed wonderful that most of those 
perched on the overturning mass survived the 
ordeal. But there were several elements 
favoring their escape. First, they were stand- 
ing on the highest point of their section of the 
iceberg so that when they leaped into the 
water there was no higher projection to reach 
over and strike them; second, they all wore 
life jackets ; third, most of them followed the 
advice and example of Watson, to leap out as 
far as possible when the top of the mass ren- 
dered it impossible longer to maintain their 
foothold. 

Of course Walter’s first thought was of his 
brother, and he kept his eyes glued to the spot 
where he believed he saw Guy strike the water. 
The Jetta stopped fifty feet from the berg, 
where Det surveyed the scene to determine 
who was most in need of assistance. 

Nobody appeared to be in danger of sink- 
ing, but several were evidently unconscious. 
The bravery and thoughtfulness of some of 
the men was heroic. The heads of two un- 
conscious men were being held up by two 
others who had escaped serious injury. An- 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


227 


other man, almost helpless, was being assisted 
by one of the women. This man was Profes- 
sor Anderson, who in attempting to aid a 
woman, failed to make the best of his own 
“safety-first” opportunities and was knocked 
almost senseless by striking the water flat on 
his left side. The woman who came to his 
rescue seemed to have the strength of a man. 
In her earlier years she had been an athlete 
and a swimmer with a record. Her leap from 
the iceberg had been one of the most skillful 
and spectacular of the whole dramatic scene as 
viewed from the deck of the Jetta. The 
woman whom the professor tried to assist 
made a floundering leap and was knocked un- 
conscious. 

Walter soon discovered his brother hold- 
ing the head of the latter woman above the 
water. With a heart full of thankfulnes he 
sent a cry of cheer to Guy, who was slowly 
swimming toward the Jetta, dragging his 
human burden with him. 

The work of rescue now progressed rapid- 
ly. Men and women were pulled and hoisted 
over the railing on all sides, and presently the 
little craft was thickly populated with 
dripping, shivering figures, including the 
two Eskimos and their dogs. 

The yacht was now converted into a hos- 


228 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

pital. Three of the men and two of the women 
had been killed and their bodies, buoyed with 
the life jackets, were taken aboard. Then 
without further delay, the homeward journey 
was begun. 

Det remained at the wheel. Tony perform- 
ed the duties of galley superintendent, and 
Walter assumed the position of head nurse. 
All of the surviving women and seven of the 
men were either severely injured or on the 
verge of pneumonia, and it was necessary that 
they be given the best of care. 

That night Walter had another opportuni- 
ty to use the wireless outfit on the yacht with 
heroic effect. About nine o’clock the lights 
of a large steamer were sighted in the south- 
east, and the yacht’s course was shaped to 
run as near to the big ship as possible. Wal- 
ter, meanwhile, was busy with receivers at his 
ears and hands operating the key and tuning 
sliders. He must quit the field of amateur 
wireless sender for a short time and invade 
the commercial wireless world on the high sea. 

Guy stood near his brother, eagerly watch- 
ing the latter’s every movement. After a 
minute or two of critical inspection, he offer- 
ed a bold suggestion, one generally held to be 
a grave violation of governmental limitation 
of the rights of radio amateurs: 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 229 

“Why don’t you tighten the coupling of 
your oscillating circuit?” 

Walter looked up at his brother with grim 
intelligence. 

“I was just thinking of that,” he shouted 
back. 

Without further delay he did what is often 
done on board sinking vessels, what, indeed, 
was probably done by the operator of the 
Herculanea when the latter sent out his calls 
for help. The effect was so to reduce the am- 
plitude of the outgoing ether waves that they 
might be received over a wide receiving range. 

“He got it!” exclaimed the boy operator. 
“He’s trying to answer.” 

There was more tuning of wave lengths for 
a minute or two and finally Walter got this 
message to the liner: 

“We are a small yacht with forty survi- 
vors of the Herculanea wreck. We need help, 
Will you take us on board?” 

Almost immediately came the question : 

“Where are you?” 

“A few miles off your port bow,” Walter 
answered. 

“Come this way,” was the ship’s next mes- 
sage. “Will answer in a few minutes.” 

Walter waited three minutes with the re- 
ceivers at his ears. Then came the following. 


2 30 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 


“Come aboard. We’ll stop for you.” 

It requires something of a sensation to stop 
a big liner in mid-ocean. 


CHAPTER XXIII 

Taking the “Wireless” Out of “Wireless 
Shoes.” 

In ten minutes the Jetta was alongside the 
Atlantic liner, Manhattan, and an officer de- 
scended into the yacht to make an inspection. 
A glance satisfied him, and he gave orders 
for receiving the rescued castaways on board 
the steamer. 

The captain invited the crew of the yacht 
also to accept passage to New York, promising 
to take the Jetta in tow. This plan was satis- 
factory to Walter and his two companions 
and was adopted. The dead bodies on the 
yacht were then taken aboard and treated with 
embalming preservatives. 

The Manhattan was due at New York on 
the second day following. The rescued cast- 
aways were offered every convenience that in- 
genuity and generosity could devise. The in- 
jured and the ill were given medical attention, 
while the others were reinvigorated with hot 
baths and fresh clothing, a “swell feed,” ac- 

231 


2 32 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

cording to Glennon and “the most comfort- 
able staterooms they ever slept in.” 

Walter, Tony, and Det, not being in parti- 
cular need of revival and refreshment, were 
kept busy until late in the night reciting their 
accounts of the rescue. And it was not long 
before they were commonly pronounced he- 
roes of the first water by the passengers. Par- 
ticularly was this honor extended to Walter, 
for Det and Tony insisted that he be given all 
the credit due him. 

“If that boy doesn’t get a Carnegie medal, 
we ought to blow the whole board of trustees 
up with T N T,” declared one large, red-faced, 
ungentle gentleman, swelling as if to burst 
with indignation at the failure of the hero 
board to appear magically on the spot and 
make its award before anybody else thought 
about it. 

Next morning those of the rescued iceberg 
Crusoes who were able to leave their rooms 
became objects of further attention, and new 
features of the disaster were brought out in 
reply to more questions. It was not long, too, 
before special interest was directed to Guy, 
for if he and his mother had not been on the 
Herculanea, Walter and Tony and Det would 
not have made their dash to the rescue, and all 
these castaways would have perished. . 

Second only to the “wireless twins” as 


OR. CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


235 


characters of interest in this midocean drama 
were the two Eskimos. Tarmik and Emah 
were dazed with the wonder of their new sur- 
roundings. They had never dreamed of such 
richness, such magnificence of nautical arch- 
itecture and equipment. It was like being 
transported from a desert to paradise. Profes- 
sor Anderson, who had recovered from his in- 
juries, was pressed into service as an inter- 
preter, and the two fur-clad Greenlanders 
were kept busy answering questions until they 
exhibited signs of weariness. 

Gunseyt also established a reputation as 
an interesting story teller. He added a num- 
ber of odd touches to the general narrative, 
thus creating a demand for his “edition” of 
the account. But he said nothing about his 
attempted invasion of the Eskimo camp, and 
nobody else saw fit to create any useless gossip 
on the subject. Guy listened to him on several 
occasions and remarked to his brother about 
the change in the man’s voice. When they 
found an opportunity to converse together 
without interruption, Walter asked : 

“Have you any idea why he’s being fol- 
lowed by a detective?” 

“Not the slightest,” answered Guy, “I 
thought he was crazy just before the ship 
went down.” 

“Why— what did he do?” 


234 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

Guy described the actions of Gunseyt from 
the time he appeared at the Burton stateroom 
and offered his assistance to the time when he 
was observed in solitary retreat on the sinking 
ship with the “wireless shoes” and the tennis 
racket This account included a short descrip- 
tion and history of the “wireless shoes” and 
; Gunseyts strange interest in them. 

“That s funny,” said Walter. “No wonder 
you thought he was crazy. Didn’t he act 
queer on the iceberg?” 

“Not exactly, but he proved himself a 
rascal” 

Guy then related the attempted invasion 
of the Eskimo camp with Gunseyt as leader. 

“Who did that Ix)ndon man tell you to ex- 
press the ‘wireless shoes’ to?” asked his 
brother. 

“A man named Pickett.” 

“Pickett!” exclaimed Walter. “Does he 
live in New York?” 

“Yes.” 

“And his first name— do you remember it? 
Was it Stanley?” 

“How did you know?” demanded the as- 
tonished Guy. 

“I bet I’ve got a clew to the mystery,” re- 
turned Walter eagerly. “Pickett’s the name of 
the man who sat behind you and mother on 
the train when you left Femcliffe. Didn’t 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 235 

I tell you his name in one of my letters?” 

“No, I don’t think you did. I don’t remem- 
ber it” 

“I must ’a’ forgotten. I intended to. How 
about the tennis racket— where did he get 
that, do you suppose?” 

“I haven’t any idea, unless — 

Guy suddenly became deeply thoughtful. 

“Unless what?” his brother asked. 

Guy looked at Walter with a composite ex- 
pression-doubt, surprise, wonder, expectancy. 

“Say, Walt, I’m beginning to wake up,” he 
announced. “There’s something in this bus- 
iness that looks funnier and funnier the more 
I think of it. Gunseyt played tennis on the Her- 
culanea, but he didn’t have a racket of his 
own. Anjrway, he used one belonging to the 
ship. But Glennon had one, and it was given 
to him by the same man that gave me the 
shoes. Moreover it, was a ‘wireles racket’ — 
like the shoes — to put pep in your arm.” 

“No!” exclaimed Walter. 

“Yes,” Guy insisted. “Come on. I’m going 
to find Carl Glennon and ask him some ques- 
tions. We never talked the matter over be- 
cause we didn’t suspect anything; at least I 
didn’t. Now, I’ve got something in my mind.’’ 

“So have I,” said Walter; “and everjrthing 
you say only makes me more certain of it.” 


236 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 


The brothers hunted fifteen minutes before 
they found the young man in a veranda cafe 
where several passengers were listening to the 
story he had told “forty-’leven times.” Guy 
interrupted with an apology and informed the 
narrator that he wished to speak to him. 
Glennon excused himself and walked away 
with the two Burtons. 

“We’re in a puzzle over that fellow Gun- 
seyt,” began Guy as they took seats in a far- 
ther comer of the room. ‘W e’re satisfied that 
there’s something deep in him, and we want 
to ask you some questions.” 

“Fire away,” said Glennon. ‘Tm as much 
interested as you are. In my opinion he’s a 
rascal and ought to be jugged.” 

“I wanted to ask you about that tennis 
racket that Smithers gave you. Do you know 
what became of it?” 

“I suppose a mermaid’s got it battin’ cod- 
fish balls over a fish net.” 

“But suppose the racket was broken before 
it went down — ^what then?” 

“I don’t know what you mean.” 

“Didn’t you see Gunseyt near the elevator 
just before you and Watson and I ran out on 
the open deck?” 

“Was that Gunseyt? I saw a man there.” 

“And didn’t you see him break a racket 
over his knee?” 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


237 


“Yes, I did,” said Glennon,” and I wonder- 
ed what he was doing that for.” 

“Well,” continued Guy, “now that you 
know who he was, whose racket do you sup- 
pose he had?” 

“Why? Did he have mine?” 

“That’s my guess. Do you know how he 
got it?” 

“I saw him near my stateroom when I ran 
out to see what was the matter. I left my 
door open in my hurry, I suppose. I know I 
didn’t lock it.” 

“That explains it all. Everything’s cleared 
up to my satisfaction.” 

“But what does all this mean?” inquired 
the mystified Glennon. “I seem to have run up 
against a Chinese puzzle.” 

“It’s as simple as A B C, after my wise 
brother here gave my sleepy head a thump and 
woke me up,” replied Guy. “Mr. Gunseyt is 
probably a friend of Mr. Smithers of Lon- 
don.” 

“Yes.” 

“And also of a Mr. Pickett of New York.” 

“I don’t know him.” 

“We’ll tell you more about him later. But 
he’s also a friend of Everleigh and Little, as 
we know positively.” 

“Yes.” 

“And soon after the Herculanea started. 


238 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

Gunseyt made the acquaintance of you and 
me.” 

“Yes.” 

“And you and I were acquainted with Mr. 
Smithers.” 

“Yes.” 

“And Mr. Smithers had given you a wire- 
less tennis racket as a present?” 

“He did.” 

“And me a pair of ‘wireless shoes' to ex- 
press to Mr. Pickett at New York.” 

“Well?” 

“And after it was found that the ship was 
sinking, Mr. Gunseyt got possession of your 
racket and the shoes.” 

“Yes, that’s all very interesting, but still I 
don’t see the conclusion,” said Glennon blankly. 

“It’s coming,” assured Guy. “You and I 
both saw him break the handle off the racket. 
I saw something else that I wasn’t sure of at 
the time. But now I’m certain of it. He’d 
torn the heels off the shoes.” 

“You don’t say!” 

“Yes, I do. And there was a detective, Mr. 
Watson, on his track all this time.” 

“My goodness!” 

“It’s about time for you to get excited. 
Here’s something more to excite you: Let me 
remind you that Mr. Smithers is a jeweler.” 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 239 

Glennon made a pass with one hand before 
his eyes as if dazed. 

“You don’t mean that Smithers and Gun- 
seyt — he began with a gasp. 

“Here comes Watson ; let’s see what he says 
about it,” interrupted Guy, as he signaled the 
operative to approach. “I bet he’ll say the 
‘wireless’ part of those shoes and that racket 
was a fake. I don’t believe, an3rway, that the 
electro-magnetic current picked up by a wire- 
less receiving instrument is strong enough to 
have any effect in an induction coil.” 

“I thought there was something funny in 
that,” Walter remarked. 


CHAPTER XXIV 

The Why of the “Squeak-Roar Voice.’’ 

“Yes, Gunseyt is a smuggler; so is Smith- 
ers and so is Hckett. We’ve been on their 
trail a long time, but couldn’t get the goods on 
them; and now after they were almost in my 
grasp, the goods have disappeared.” 

This mournful statement was made by 
Watson after Guy had presented his deduc- 
tions and asked a point-blank question regard- 
ing the occupation of the man with the “fun- 
ny” voice. 

“They’re smuggling diamonds and Indian 
rubies into the United States,” the operative 
continued; “and they’re big ones at the bus- 
iness. Many of the gems are stolen, too, and 
it’s safer to dispose of them in America. No 
doubt they’ve brought over several million dol- 
lars’ worth, and on this trip they were using 
you boys to help them at their game to con- 
fuse the authorities. The heels of those shoes 
were filled with gems ; so was the handle of the 
tennis racket” 

“One thing I don’t understand,” said 

240 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 241 

Glennon, ‘‘is why Smithers should have made 
me a present of that racket. Why didn’t he 
give it to me to give to Pickett the same as he 
planned to get the shoes into Pickett’s hands.” 

“I never try to explain positively the work- 
ing of a criminal’s mind,” replied Watson. 
“But you can often make a pretty safe guess 
at it after you’ve been studying them a while. 
The smartest of ’em make the most ridiculous 
mistakes and go to the silliest extremes some- 
times to avoid detection.” 

“And how did Gunseyt expect to get pos- 
session of the diamonds again,” was Glennon’s 
next question. 

“Oh, there were a hundred ways of doing 
that. He could have stopped at a hotel near 
your home, kept up an acquaintance with you, 
borrowed the racket, and returned it minus 
the stones.” 

“There’s one thing I’d like to find out,” said 
Guy; “and that is, what caused the change in 
his voice?” 

“You’d think,” said Glennon, who was 
something of a musician, “that some mischief 
had got busy in his voice box and tangled the 
bass and treble strings together.” 

“Suppose you ask him,” suggested Watson, 
addressing Guy. 

“I’m going to ask him the first chance I 


242 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

get, and I’m going to look for the chance,” 
announced Guy determinedly. 

Half an hour later Guy found an opportu- 
nity to speak with Gunseyt The latter was 
seated alone in a smoking room, and the boy 
sauntered up and addressed him familiarly. 

“I suppose you’ll be glad when this voyage 
is finished,” he said. “It hasn’t been full of 
fun all the time.” 

“No, it hasn’t,” replied Gimseyt cheerful- 
ly. “But I don’t mind, now that the hardships 
are over. It’s been an experience I’ll never 
forget And among the things I won’t forget 
is the manner in which I was treated on the 
iceberg.” 

Guy did not wish to discuss this affair; so 
he merely remarked that it was “unfortunate” 
and continued: 

“I’ve got a question to ask you, Mr. Gun- 
se3d;, and I hope you won’t think it impertinent. 
It’s caused a good deal of talk and we’re all 
curious to know what the answer is.” 

“Fire away,” roared the other with comical 
explosiveness. “I don’t know of any question 
I’m afraid to hear, but I may not answer this 
one. I’ll either answer it or tell you it’s none 
of your business.” The last sentence was 
finished with a spasmodic high pitch that 
sounded uncanny to the boy, who returned : 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


243 


“It isn’t any of my business. I come only 
as a curiosity seeker.” 

“That’s fair enough. I like frank people. 
What’s your question?” 

“What caused the change in your voice?” 

“Oh, is that all?” laughed Gunseyt. “I’m 
glad it’s so easy to answer. It’s caused by an 
alteration of the acoustics of my mouth.” 

Guy stared at the man with a puzzled look. 
He was uncertain whether the fellow was mak- 
ing fun of him. 

“That’s the truth,” assured the other. “My 
voice has always been the discomfort of my 
life. For years it branded me as a curiosity 
wherever I went. I consulted many throat 
specialists and they informed me that the 
trouble rested in the roof of my mouth. That’s 
what caused the squeak. An operation, they 
said, wouldn’t do any good. My voice was 
otherwise naturally heavy. 

“Well, one specialist observed that several 
of my molars ht, been extracted and suggest- 
ed a remedy. He said that a plate could be 
made to hold some false teeth and at the same 
time alter the acoustics of my mouth in such 
a manner as to stop the squeak. I consented 
to the plan, and the plate was made. It was 
a success. 

“When I jumped from the wrecked ship, 
I got my mouth full of sea water and nearly 


244 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE} 

strangled. While struggling to catch my 
breath I coughed the plate out and it sank 
while my voice rose to a high pitch again. 
Does that explain the mystery?” 

“Perfectly,” replied Guy. “Thank you very 
much. That’s an interesting story; I’ll tell it 
to the others and quiet their curiosity.” 

Guy found his brother and Watson and 
Glennon again and told them of his interview. 

“That may be a straight story,” said Wat- 
son. “I’m glad to get it. But I wonder he 
didn’t say that the plate in his mouth was a 
wireless plate.” 

Walter, Guy, and Glennon laughed at this 
remark. 

“This is a good time for general explana- 
tion of mysteries, isn’t it?” Guy suggested. 
“There are several matters I’d like to have you 
explain, just for entertainment.” 

“Fire away,” said Watson. “I suppose for 
one thing you’d like to know where I got the 
key to your stateroom door.” 

“Then you were the burglar, after all?” 

“I was that villain,” replied that operative 
with a smart smile. “I found the key in the 
door, and watched my opportunity to enter 
and search the room.” 

“Then that was all a bluff you put up 
when you came to our room and called me 
down,” said Guy. 


OB, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


245 


“Pure and simple. I wanted to see what 
Gunseyt was doing there.” 

Little of importance occured during the 
rest of the voyage. They arrived at New York 
early in the morning two days later and were 
met at the landing by a throng of men, women 
and children. Information of the rescue of 
most of the castaways on the iceberg had been 
communicated by wireless, and the Burton 
boys found their father and mother among the 
foremost in the crowd. 

The scene at the landing was pathetic and 
thrilling. Not only were many relatives and 
friends of the rescued present, but also nu- 
merous relatives and friends of many that 
perished. Cheers, congratulations, happy 
faces, hysterical laughter, and sad tearful 
eyes and subdued, hopeless utterances were 
heard and seen on every hand. Guy and Wal- 
ter were hurried to a hotel where their story 
was listened to eagerly by Mr. and Mrs. 
Burton. 

Then came the newspaper ordeal. It was 
an odd and enigmatical affair. The report- 
ers were there, at the landing and the hotel, 
in good numbers; but they were the most un- 
imaginative, unindustrious congregation of 
press representatives that ever assembled with 
instructions to “soft pedal” a story. Mr. and 
Mrs. Burton knew the meaning of their “lazy 


246 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

manner” and smiled wisely at the disgust of 
some of the interviewed. 

“What does this all mean?” demanded the 
big red-faced man, who had decreed a con- 
ditional extermination for the Carnegie med- 
al dispensers after hearing the story Walter’s 
heroism. “Didn’t you cheap, two-by-four 
pencil pushers bring photographers along to 
take pictures of that wireless hero?” 

.The identity of this challenger of the 
scribes and advance critic of the hero fund 
trustees was then revealed for the first time 
to Walter and Guy. He was one Amos Wilt- 
shire of Vermont, a business acquaintance of 
Mr. Burton’s. His last choleric invective was 
directed at the “sleepy” newspaper reporters 
at the landing, from which place he accom- 
panied the Burtons to their hotel. There the 
father of the wireless heroes explained the 
situation to Mr. Wiltshire and the boys as 
follows: 

“You see the government officials felt that 
the situation was extremely delicate. There 
was enough evidence to convince them beyond 
reasonable doubt that the Herculanea was 
sunk by a floating German mine. It looked as 
if the mine was planted over here by a Ger- 
man U-boat before we got into the war, and 
the authorities were afraid of public wrath 
if as much publicity were given this affair as 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 247 

was given the sinking of the Lusitania. We 
are still nominally at war with Germany, you 
see, and many believe we ought not to have 
stopped fighting when we did, but have con- 
tinued the drive all the way to Berlin. It was 
feared, at least, that the treaty negotiations 
would be seriously interfered with by a re- 
awakening of public anger. So it was decided 
to ask all the newspapers of the country to 
tone the story down. By common consent, 
therefore, it was censored, and every paper 
limited its space for the affair to a few sticks 
of very mildly worded news. 

As for the two Eskimos, a collection was 
taken for them among the icberg survivors, 
and they were sent back to Greenland, each 
with a large trrunkful of fishing tackle and 
hunting outfit, on a government vessel patrol- 
ing the northern seas. 

Walter, Guy, Tony and Det went home on 
the Jetta, while Mr. and Mrs. Burton returned 
by rail. The water trip required two days, the 
intervening night being passed at a Massachu- 
setts port. 

On the night following their arrival at 
Femcliffe, the climax of these adventures of 
the radio boys was reached. With spirit of 
romance still very much alive, they decided to 
sleep on the yacht. Before turning in, Walter 
and Guy sat at the wireless table and talked 


248 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

over their experiences for several hours. They 
even caught some messages from passing 
ships as Walter had done on a never-to-be- 
forgotten occasion. Of course, it was long 
after boy bed-hours before they were asleep 
on the two deck house cots. 

About midnight Guy awoke. What was 
the cause of his awakening he did not know, 
but he soon found reason for keeping his eyes 
open and his ears sharply attentive. He 
heard the sound of a footstep on the deck, and 
glancing through the open doorway he saw the 
form of a man. 

It was moonlight and Guy could distin- 
guish the fellow’s features fairly well. One 
look at his face almost caused the boy to cry 
out with astonishment. In spite of the fact 
that the man’s goatee and mustache had been 
removed, Guy recognized the countenance of 
Mr. Gunseyt 


CHAPTER XXV 


The Fog Pirate at the Bobstay 

Suddenly Guy was thrilled with a romantic 
explanation. The diamonds! But where? 

Apparently the visitor had no suspicion of 
the presence of anyone else on the yacht. He 
did not look into the place where the boys lay. 
He moved straight ahead as if bound for a 
certain point and disappeared around the port 
side of the deck house. 

Guy arose and went to his sleeping brother 
and shook him gently. Walter awoke and sat 
up. 

“Keep still, Walt,” whispered Guy. “There’s 
somebody on the boat. It’s Gunseyt.” 

“What!”— also whispered. 

“Yes, it is. I just saw him.” 

“How could you recognize him in the 
dark?” 

“It’s moonlight, and he’s got ways and ac- 
tions you couldn’t mistake. He’s shaved off 
his mustache and goatee, but I know him any- 
way.” 

“What does he want here?” 

“The diamonds, I suppose. You know Wat- 
249 


250 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

son said he’d got rid of them somewhere at 
sea.” 

“Hid ’em on this boat?” 

•‘Must’ave. Watson was asleep. He ought 
to ’ave guessed the truth.” 

While this whispered conversation was go- 
ing on, the boys slipped on their trousers and 
were soon ready to move silently out on the 
deck and watch the movements of the mid- 
night visitor. They walked around to star- 
board of the deck house and to the forward 
end. Here they stopped. Mr. Gunseyt was in 
plain view and busy. He was on his knees at 
the bow, pulling up from the water something 
attached with a small rope to the bobstay 
chain. While still engaged in this strange oc- 
cupation he cast behind him a look of instinc- 
tive watchfulness and saw the boys almost as 
soon they saw him. 

With a cry of alarm and rage, the man cut 
the rope with a knife and sprang to his feet. 
That voice was the last needed evidence to re- 
move any remaining doubt from Guy’s mind 
as to the fellow’s identity. It was the voice 
of the “fog pirate.” 

Gunseyt held in one hand a small package, 
dripping wet. With the other hand he drew 
a pistol. 

The boys now realized that they were in a 
dangerous position and began to back away, 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 251 

while the intruder moved toward the wharf. 
But suddenly there was a second change in 
the situation. Another man appeared on the 
scene. 

This new arrival also had 9- pistol. He 
stepped out of the shadow of the bluff, pointed 
his weapon at the smuggler, and commanded: 

“Drop that gun, or Fll shoot.” 

A great shudder shook Gunseyt. A gasp 
escaped his lips, and he dropped his firearm. 
As it hit the deck the man on the wharf said: 

“Pick up his gun, boys, and stand ready to 
help if he gets ugly.” 

Walter sprang forward and snatched up 
the weapon. Then the newcomer stepped 
aboard and snapped a pair of “bracelets” on 
the wrists of Gunseyt. 

“I’m a secret service man,” he announced 
as he secured the prisoner. 

“Did Mr. Watson send you?” Guy inquired. 

“Yes.” 

“Why didn’t he come himself?” 

“He’d ’ave been recognized, and there’d 
’ave been nothing doing. I followed this man 
from New York. Watson couldn’t ’ave done 
that. By the way, he told me to tell you his 
name isn’t Watson. It’s just plain John 
Smith.” 

“Our story’s finished,” said Guy quickly, 
turning to his brother. 


252 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 


“What story?” the latter inquired blankly. 

“What story, you simp! Why, your story 
and mine. You’re the chief hero, and I’m the 
second. Think of it! Trip to Europe, mys- 
terious man on the train, Pickett — ^his con- 
federate in London, Smithers — ^their agent on 
the steamer, Gunseyt — the detective — ^the 
wreck — ^the iceberg — radio — rescue — ^and now, 
the arrest of the leading villian. I’d been won- 
dering if it ’u’d ever be our luck to have this 
adventure finished so we could be real heroes 
of a novel.’* 

“If it’s ever written,” returned Walter 
dubiously. “And it isn’t quite finished, too. 
There are Smithers and Pickett to be arrested. 
Suppose they’re never caught.” 

“That doesn’t make a particle of differ- 
ence,” declared Guy. “The jewels have been 
found in the cleverest hiding place— tied to the 
bobstay — ^and the most interesting villain is 
arrested. How do you like that for a com- 
pliment, Mr. Gunseyt, ‘most interesting vil- 
lain’?” 

But the smuggler was not in appreciative 
mood. He only snarled. 

The secret service man introduced himself 
as Mr. Hunt. Then he made note of the names 
of the boys, informed them that they would 
hear from the department of justice later, and 
left with the package of smuggled treasure in 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 


253 


one hand and leading his handcuffed prisoner 
with the other. 

* ^ . * * * 

Guy spoke truly when he remarked that 
his and Walter’s story was finished. There 
were indeed a few odds and ends of the tangles 
of mysteries to be cleared up, but all this re- 
quired time and did not come with the rapidity 
of succeeding melodramatic chapters. Gun- 
seyt was convicted and sent to a federal prison 
after several months’ delay. From some mys- 
terious source he obtained all the money he 
needed to pay the expenses of his defense, but 
Walter and Guy were not much puzzled over 
the mystery. Stanley Pickett also was arrest- 
ed, but was discharged because of a lack of 
evidence to convict. However, almost as these 
words are being written, there comes an- 
nouncement that he has been taken into cus- 
tody on another similar charge. 

Mr. Smithers is still at large in London, a 
“respectable jeweler” in Bond street. Artie 
Fletcher had something to say regarding the 
gentleman in several letters written to Guy, 
and as one of those letters is of particular in- 
terest at this point, we reproduce it here: 

“Dear Guy— When I got your letter tell- 
ing of the arrest of those two smugglers, I 
just couldn’t rest until I’d sprung it on Smith- 


254 RADIO BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE; 

ers. I saw things differently and a lot of ex- 
planations flashed before me like a bobby’s 
light in a fog. Smithers had left the hotel, 
but I went to his store and presented myself 
to him. He pretended not to know me, but I 
grinned in his face and said: 

“ ‘Oh, come, now, Mr. Tennis Racket Wire- 
less Shoes, you know me very well. Have you 
- forgot the time you fixed it up with one Gun- 
seyt of the funny voice, him to hold up the 
young American, Guy Burton, in the fog, so 
you could jump in sudden with a pistol and 
save him from being robbed?” 

“He turned as pale as a ghost, and I knew 
I’d hit him where it hurt. But I didn’t stop 
there. I gave him another before he could 
recover. 

“ ‘Gunseyt and Pickett have both been ar- 
rested in America,’ ” I said. 

“You ought to have seen him. I thought 
he was going to collapse. Then he pulled him- 
self together and flew into a rage and after 
me. I knew what was best for Artie and cut 
sticks. He didn’t catch me. 

“What do you think happened next day? I 
was discharged at the hotel. I know Smith- 
ers did it, although no explanation was given 
to me. 

“But it was the best thing for me that ever 
happened, and I hope it will prove the worst 


OR, CAST AWAY ON AN ICEBERG 255 

for Smithers. I went to a detective agency 
and told the boss my story. He was interested 
right away. I found they’d been watching 
Smithers for somebody over on your side, may- 
be the government. I told them I wanted to 
be a detective, hardly expecting it would do 
me any good; but, Guy, the boss, after a secret 
confab with somebody else, offered me a job 
and told me if I made good on this smuggling 
case, he’d keep me. 

*‘I thought, from the way the chief talked, 
he was going to make me one of his star ‘sick- 
’em dogs’, but he didn’t. He gave me only si 
position as clerk, with a salary four shillings 
less than I got at the hotel. But I didn’t care 
for salary, just so I had enough to live on. It 
was just the opportunity for me. And I 
haven’t forgotten, Guy, that I owe a whole 
lot of it to you. 

“They really needed a boy in the office and 
to run errands, but I soon found out that the 
reason I got the job was because of what I 
knew about Smithers. And I’m having some 
real detective work to do. They’re after 
Smithers hard, but they haven’t been able to 
get the goods on him. I hope before long I’ll 
land him. If I do, you may be sure I’ll let you 
know right away.” 


THE END 


Phil Bradley 

Mountain Boy*$ Series 

BY SILAS R. BOONE 


12 Mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Price 60c Each 


H ' I HESE books describe with interesting 
detail the experience of a party of boys 

• * among the mountain pines. They teach 

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against th^e elements, what to do and what to 
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For sale by all Booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of 60c. 

M. A. DONOHUE & COMPANY 

711 S. Dearborn Street :: CHICAGO 


The American Boy’s 
Sports Series 

BY MARK OVERTON 

12 Mo Cloth. Illustrated. Price 60c Each. 


m HESE stories touch upon nearly every 
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Baseball, rowing, football, hockey, skat- 
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M. A. DONOHUE & COMPANY 

CHICAGO 


THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS 

By ROGER T. FINLAY 

12mo, cloth. Price 75c each, postpaid. 

Thrilling adventures on land and sea of two boys and a man 
cast upon an island in the South Seas without food or 
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1 . The Castaways 5. The Capture and Pursuit 

2. Exploring the Island 6. The Conquest of the Savages 

3. The Mysteries of the Caverns 7. Adventures on Strange Islands 

4. The Tribesmen 8. Treasures of the Islands 

THE BOY GLOBE TROTTERS 

, By ELBERT FISHER 

12mo, cloth. Price 75c each, postpaid. 

This is a series of form books relating the adventures of 
two boys who made a trip around the world, working their 
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For sale by all Booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of 75c 


M. A. DONOHUE & COMPANY 

711 S. DEARBORN STREET CHICAGO 


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